The Big Book of Everything
by Babyuknowme13
Summary: Char is a ten year old cabin girl under the future Pirate King. She's a bit more special than that though. She's an illusionist, anything she imagines becomes reality. And she's descended from the very first female pirate. She follows one ancestor's Rule Book, as she follows her sisters and her dream. How hard can it be? To play the Ultimate Game.
1. Rules of Engagement Are Written

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Disclaimer; I do not own One Piece! I do however own my OCs but am reasonable over the idea being used by others. It's just that I noticed that there are female pirates, but they are noticeably few in number, so I wanted to tell a story about someone descending from the first female pirate. At first it was going to be about the First Female Pirate, but I realized that it would've taken place in the Void Century or before then and I have no idea of what the world was like then.

Plus it came to me in a dream.

Chapter 1: In Which the Rules of Engagement are Written.

Char had set out from home earlier than any of her big sisters had, but staying home after her mother passed away hadn't seemed very fun. She was ten years old and ready for new games and stories, and what better stories than those that were true? So she left a message with her father in case one of her sisters came home for a visit and bought passage to the next island over.

Shells Town had a big marine base on it, and more importantly, plenty of tourists who didn't stay long enough to realize they were getting scammed by the cute kid who asked for directions. Of course, she had a few neat toys to help her make her daring escape.

Her most precious of which being the blue-grey cloak that held the power imbued in it long ago by her personal favorite ancestress, the Hell's Illusionist. As the family history read Anna had only escaped the marines because she had this cloak, which held the power to make any who wore the hood utterly invisible.

It was big on her, trailing at least a foot on the ground behind as she walked, but she wore it around her shoulders with pride. Anna had carried a very impressive bag of tricks, and she had passed all of them down to Char, who inherited this gift for tricks and games.

"Excuse me mister, are you a marine?" She smiled up at her next victim. The blonde man with the mushroom like haircut looked down at her, picking at his expensive suit and sneering at the grubby urchin in his way.

"Kid if you don't want to answer to my father you'd better move!" He warned.

"Your daddy? Who's he?" She asked curiously. Of course she knew, but she was playing a game and the biggest part of that was playing as a child, and everyone thinks a child is stupid even when given evidence they are not.

"He's Captain Axe-hand Morgan you brat, so you'd best hop to!" He warned her a second time, preening as the nearby citizens flinched at the casual mention of their nightmare.

"Hop? Okay!" She grinned, jumping in place in front of him and laughing. Helmeppo blinked in confusion for a moment, watching the girl with the bob cut as she hopped in place.

"You're slow aren't you?" He questioned as she continued on for a few minutes, not seeming to grow bored or tired in the least.

"Nu-Uh! I'm super-fast! I could even beat _you_ in a race!" She boasted, letting her legs rest now as she challenged him. She knew she couldn't really beat him, but she had a few tricks up her sleeves. And there was nothing in the rule book that said cheating against marines was wrong.

"Don't make me laugh! A little girl like you? I'll win without even trying!" Char grinned from ear to ear, the prospect of a game was too enticing to resist.

"Well, if I win, how about you buy me some toys?" She egged. At the moment she wasn't talking about stuffed animals or doll houses.

"Ha, typical of a brat like you!" He guffawed.

It was to be a race all the way around the marine base. Some of Helmeppo's personal guards set up a start and finish line while a crowd gathered. Char smiled and dug inside her pouch for the secret to her victory. She dare not draw it from the pouch and reveal it to the audience just yet, but holding it reminded her that what this was is a game and thus something that had rules she had to follow.

Anna's diary, which told all the secrets of her trade. Including but certainly not limited to the secret behind her illusions.

It wasn't a devil fruit, nor some power that few were born with the potential to unleash. It was will and imagination and the childhood innocence of "Playing pretend" that came together. Char took a starter's position beside her opponent in this game of tag and took a deep breath as she drew her hand from her pouch, rubbing fingertips together in the universal sign for money.

A pistol was fired and the runners took off. Helmeppo, being older and with a longer stride, in the lead. Char followed in a sprint as she tried to catch up, coming close to his heels. The hand with the rubbing fingers opened and a small flash of light, hidden by the dust raised by their dash, appeared.

In an instant Char was in front of the older boy and still gaining speed. Helmeppo took an inappropriate moment in which to gape as the ebony haired girl streaked before him, cape fluttering in the breeze produced by her sudden dash.

"I win!" She laughed, throwing up her hands as she crossed the chalk line a full ten seconds before Helmeppo.

"You brat! Guards, get her!" He roared, utterly humiliated to be beaten so easily in front of the inhabitants of his father's city. The guards seized the girl's arm, only for something amazing to happen. His hand phased straight through.

"Ooops." Everyone turned to see Char, her hood having gotten caught by a tree branch and fallen to cancel the clock's power. The illusion Char vanished in a ray of light.

"Seize her!" Helmeppo roared, more infuriated than ever now it was revealed the race was a scam.

Char comically gulped and tried to make a break for it but found the way barred. She could have begun using Dim Mak to incapacitate the marines, but as a small child of ten she often panicked when confronted with more opponents than feasible. Or rather, she panicked when she'd just used a big illusion and was confronted with multiple opponents.

"Tie her to the post! For a month!" Helmeppo ordered. Char growled as a quick search provided the marines with not only Anna's diary, but her bag of tricks and the money she'd pickpocketed whilst invisible during the race. Now even if she somehow managed to escape the post she was crucified to, the only thing she'd have would be the clothes on her back.

Admittedly, with things like the invisibility cloak clothes could go a long way.

A month passed, Char was kept alive only by the daily water allowance given by the marines and the small bits of food a village girl could smuggle her. When the second month passed and Char began to wonder if she'd bring only shame upon her family for never earning a bounty, something _different _happened.

A green haired man was brought to the post opposite her and tied in much the same manner as she was. On an adult body the method was less successful due to the post being too short, so he was allowed to slouch to conserve energy. Char either held herself boneless or had to switch legs as each began to grow tired.

"Hey, what are you in for?" She greeted her guest. He looked pretty scary but he hadn't struggled at all when the marines had tied him, only taking a minute to fix a black kerchief to his head.

"Killed his pet wolf. You? What did a kid to deserve this?" He asked. Something about her gaunt expression struck something in him, he had to wonder how long she'd been tied there.

"I bet on a game and lost. He said tie me up for a month, but I've been counting. It's been exactly sixty four days since he first tied me here." She informed the scary man. If she were untied she would pull her hood up to hide from his menacing face. She was not untied though, and doubted she'd even have the strength for that much with her body as wasted as it was.

"Why?" Zoro blinked at the strange girl. Why indeed had Helmeppo kept her here? Was it something as simple as being forgotten, and would the same happen to him?

"I have to survive a month of this and then he'll release me, that's our bet." He spoke again when he received no answer. The girl's fatigued head drooped and she shifted in place, well aware of why her bones ached and wishing she could slouch as comfortably as he could.

"That sounds fair enough, but I never play fair with Marines." She hummed in thought. It was one of Anna's rules. Marines couldn't be trusted to keep their words so tricks had to be kept up sleeves for emergencies. A month ago Char would've had enough energy to perform some illusions, but that was all they were and illusions couldn't cut these ropes.

"Just Marines?" He asked, more out of boredom than any real curiosity. Char took it in the spirit it was given though, as a distraction.

"Always Marines." She corrected. "Sometimes with regular people and pirates, but _always_ with marines." That was an important sticking point. It was in the top ten rules. She wished she still had Anna's diary, reciting the rules from memory got hard and she wasn't sure she remembered them all.

"I'm Char by the way, I'm going to play the Ultimate Game. What's your name?" She asked.

"Roronoa Zoro, and I'll be the future Greatest Swordsman in the World." He announced with a smirk, watching for the reaction he'd grown accustomed to.

"Will that be fun for you?" She asked, lifting her head slightly to look him fully in the eye. Her face much more serious than any other children he'd ever met.

"Fun?" He repeated, honestly curious now. He eyed the grubby conditions of her clothes, a faded orange shirt and suspender skirt.

"Fun." She nodded, slowly because her vision swam in a way that really scared her. It had been a week since the girl brought food last. "I believe that if a person is following their dream, one of the reasons is because they think it's fun." Wasn't that what she wanted to do when she left home? Play the Ultimate Game like her sisters?

"I guess I think it's fun." He answered. A silence enveloped them for a few minutes, and in the heat of the day Char dozed, her stomach far past the stage where it would pain her.

Two weeks past, each day holding three or four conversations between Zoro and Char. Sometimes about what was fun, sometimes about fighting, and sometimes about the shapes the clouds made in the sky when she felt strong enough to expend the energy to look up, which Zoro indulged her in. Rika snuck in as often as possible with the things her mother cooked in secret. Some buns or oni giri, but mostly fruit sold in the market. There were long gaps between the meals though, and it never felt like enough.

Three weeks passed, and Char found herself once again imagining what she'd eat if she were free. By now even the tiniest of illusions, changing her eye color, was far beyond her. Her stomach felt like a hollow stone in her gut, never straying far from mind. If she could just have as much of it as she wanted she'd even eat the vegetables her daddy always said were good for her. Why did she throw so many of those away?

"Hey, you two!" She blinked out of her doze and looked questioningly at Zoro. Was Helmeppo and his guards back? She didn't see anyone.

"You're eye sores, get lost!" He was looking up at the wall above her. Char didn't bother trying to twist to see who it was. It obviously wasn't Rika with food, even from here she could hear the panicked cries of some boy. Just some tourists who wanted to get an eyeful, she closed her eyes.

Running footsteps, softer than the marines' boots, and coming from behind her. Char opened her eyes as Rika finally came into view, two oni giri held in her hands. Quickly she stuffed one into Char's mouth before moving to Zoro. Char found the energy to grin as she chewed the food. It was sickly sweet, the rice tasted sugar coated, but she liked sweets anyway and she was too hungry to deny food.

"Get out of here kid or give the rest to Char." Zoro growled. He hadn't eaten a single crumb in three weeks. Char was somewhere between admiring his fortitude and mourning the fact that at this rate he'd starve to death and leave her alone again for however much longer she lasted.

"But I worked really hard to make them, even though it's my first time! And you must be getting really hungry now!" Rika argued, holding it up as though waiting for his mouth to open in invitation.

"Just get out of here kid!" He groaned. It was too late though, Helmeppo's daily visit had started.

"No one likes a bully, Roronoa." He laughed gaily. He was amazed to see the girl alive but at the moment he couldn't care less. She'd been suffering for making him look like an idiot for three months and she'd suffer until she finally died!

"Aw, so you don't have any friends? That must be lonely. I don't have friends either." Char commented. She didn't really understand that he was calling Zoro the bully.

"Gah! I am _not_ a bully! I have tons of friends!" The blonde protested. He took note that her hair seemed to have grown from when they first met. It nearly reached past her shoulder blades.

"Wow, your birthday parties must be awesome!" She exclaimed in surprise. A ton was a big number.

"Of course they are! After all, the son of Captain Morgan could expect no less!" He boasted.

"But more importantly, don't you know that aiding criminals is punishable by death? As said written by Captain Morgan?" He held up the poster being distributed around the town. Rika froze in fear as a life time of her mother's warnings about the captain conditioned the response to make herself appear as small as possible.

"Soldier! Throw her over the wall!" He barked at one of the men in uniform. Char blinked for a minute, her starved mind unable to understand that he meant Rika, not her.

"But-!" He was cut off by Helmeppo grabbing his collar.

"Are you disobeying me? I'll tell my father!" He warned him threateningly.

"…Yes sir." He manually walked to the small girl whimpering on the ground. It broke his heart to look at her and be reminded of his own daughter, but he had to do this for her. "I'm sorry, try to curl up in a ball." He advised, hoping it would negate the damage a bit.

Char gasped as Rika went flying overhead. She waited for the splat but heard nothing, the scream just dwindled away. Her eyes filled with tears as she tried to struggle against the binds. Twisting her head did no good, the post was too thick to look around.

"You jerk! She was just a kid!" She shouted at the blonde man responsible. Her voice was hoarse, unused to reaching such volumes.

"Shut up brat, I can't believe you're still alive!" He remarked, going up and slamming his foot into her stomach. She clenched her teeth shut to keep from throwing up the oni giri she had swallowed. Her body really wasn't in any condition for this punishment.

"Baka! I'm going to play the Ultimate Game, just like my sisters and mama! I'm not going to die just because you say so!" She screeched, trying to hit him with her own stumpy legs. If only they were longer she would've gotten dirty footprints all over his suit!

"A game? Ha, don't make me laugh!" He guffawed, amused by the idiot child. She stuck her tongue out at him for a minute before explaining.

"Not _just_ a game, Hel-baka! The _Ultimate_ Game! To be a pirate!" She smirked, a very unchild-like look.

"A pirate? As if a little girl like you has what it takes!" He sneered, walking away without another word.

"Doesn't matter if I'm little now, someday I won't be anymore." She reminded him. "And when that happens, it won't just be an illusion." She swore.

"_Geez Char, can't you do even one thing right?" Jo laughed at her baby sister. At sixteen she was getting ready to head out on her own, the oldest of the sisters. Char, aged five, laughed and replied that she never lost a game._


	2. The Rule Book is Consulted

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 2: In Which the Rule Book is Consulted.

"So, are you really a bad guy?" Helmeppo had just left and suddenly there was a boy standing in front of her, blocking her view of Zoro. She blinked in confusion for a minute, staring at his red vest and straw hat. Actually the hat stuck out for some reason, it was made of straw and had a red band so it wasn't special, but it stuck out.

"Who the Hell are you? Get lost!" Zoro demanded, pissed that he had to dispel energy with this punk. That blonde bastard had hit Char and he couldn't tell if she was okay because the straw hat boy was in the way.

"My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to be the future King of the Pirates. Join my crew!" He asserted, tipping his hat briefly in introduction.

"Pirate King, is that fun?" Char asked, much for the same reason she'd asked about Zoro's dream.

"Yup, the Pirate King has the most freedom in the world! So he has lots of adventures!" Luffy grinned at the weird girl. He wondered if she was a bad guy, to be locked up here with Zoro.

"Pheh, just leave already. I only have to survive ten more days." And then he'd cut Char down too, because she'd been here a lot longer than Helmeppo had promised her.

"Meh, what a stubborn guy. I would've starved in three days." Luffy announced.

"I got more spirit than you." And so did Char, come to think of it. He had to admit, she was a tough ten year old.

"…Wait, could you pick that up?" Char blinked as she watched Luffy questioningly gather up the dirty rice on the ground. Zoro had refused all food since he got tied up. Why was this different?

"Are you sure you want to eat this? It's mostly a dirt ball now." Luffy warned him.

"Shut up and give it to me!" Zoro yelled, opening his mouth. Luffy tossed it in and Char winced at the crunching sound. Ew, was there a bug in there? Or some rocks? Did Zoro break his teeth?

"Should've listened to me." Luffy taunted him.

"No, it was good." He coughed. "Tell her I said thanks."

The straw hat boy left then, to deliver the message though he said he'd be back. For a few minutes Char stood in silence, giving her arms a break from holding her up. Her shoulders were really sore. Zoro had dipped his head and seemed to be sleeping, so she had nothing to do.

"_Char, are you sure this is what you want to do?" Her father asked, hands on her shoulders as they stood at the dock. Char was about to set out for the first time._

"_Of course, this is the Ultimate Game!" She exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "Where you gamble your life, seek adventures and treasure, and make friends that last forever!"_

"_Without you around things are going to be pretty quiet. What will I do without the townspeople coming to complain about your latest illusions?" He asked her jokingly, ruffling her short hair. Grey eyes looked up at him, watering slightly at the good bye._

"_I'll write a whole lot, I promise! And when I get a bounty I'll send you the poster!" They shared one last hug. The dark haired man held his youngest daughter. None of his other children had left home so early, but he knew that when the sea called they had to set off. There had never been a female in the family who hadn't been a pirate, it was something he had to accept. He accepted this when he married Flora and greeted the very first of his daughters._

"_Make me proud, baby girl. I know your mama's watching, and your sisters will be rooting for you." He waved at the passenger ship she boarded until it was out of sight. Char sniffled and wiped away the tears that leaked to her cheeks. That was six months ago._

Char woke from her dream when the ropes holding her up went slack. She slumped into the strong grip of a man wearing a familiar haramaki. She blinked in confusion for a minute, unable to understand that she was free.

"Hey captain, can we take Char?" She looked at the straw hat boy, a pink haired boy, and the defeated Captain Morgan and Helmeppo with the celebrating marines. What happened while she was sleeping? Nothing made sense anymore!

"Yeah sure!" Zoro carried her on his back, while the pink haired boy carried her trick bag which had been retrieved from the base.

"Your name's Char?" Luffy grinned up at her as they walked through the streets. People cheered and called greetings as they passed, news spread like wild fire.

"That's right, I'm an illusionist. And you're going to be the Pirate King?" He nodded. "So, can I be in your crew?" Another nod, along with an even bigger grin.

Rika's mother made enough food to feed an army. Char found that she couldn't even leave the vegetables on her plate without feeling immensely guilty, so she shoved those down her throat as well. Having milk and all the food she could eat after starving for so long felt like the most amazing thing ever. But still, now that she was free, there was something she had to do.

"Excuse me, do you have a pencil and some paper? I want to write to my daddy." She asked the nice lady.

"Sure, I'll be right back." She smiled at the child. She had been one of those people in the audience cheering.

"Ah man, I'm stuffed." Zoro groaned, if he was wearing a belt he'd loosen it. He noticed that Char was still eating as well.

"Ha, lightweight!" Luffy taunted around several large chunks of meat. Rika's mother returned with a clean notebook and a pencil, along with envelope and stamps.

"Thank you!" Char said politely, years of her father beating manners through her skull paying off.

"How can you eat more than a guy who starved for three weeks? Or a girl who starved for three months for that matter?" The green haired man questioned. Char laughed as the pink haired boy, Coby, apologized on their behalf for eating so much.

"It's no trouble at all, you saved us after all!" The woman laughed.

"Hey Luffy, how many crewmembers do we have right now?" Zoro asked, wanting to know more about the people he'd be serving with.

"Ah, counting you two? Three." Even Char was surprised by the small number. She thought pirates always had really big crews.

"What about a ship?" He asked. He didn't quite understand what he was in for yet.

"Over there." Luffy pointed at the window. Char followed his window and felt her shoulders slump. It was barely a dinghy. It was so tiny she wasn't even sure they'd all fit. What if one of them sneezed and fell overboard?

"By the way Luffy-san, what are you planning on doing next?" Coby asked, looking at his friend. Wait, he wasn't part of the crew? Char frowned in disappointment. She wanted to get to know him better; she didn't often meet people near her own age out at sea. He was only thirteen too! Just three years older!

"We're going to the Grand Line." She grinned when he answered. The Grand Line was the greatest of the seas, though her family had been all over the world. Their main base, and the place where they always settled down, was the East blue.

Coby began screaming how that was crazy but she stopped listening. She opened the notebook and began writing on the first page. There was so much she wanted to tell him! Maybe if she finished fast she could mail it before they had to leave! That'd be nice, he'd get the letter really fast!

_Dear Daddy,_

_I'm sorry for not writing, I won a game against the wrong guy and he kept my tied up for _three_ months! I made a nice friend though, at least I think he's a friend. His name's Roronoa Zoro! Also, I joined a pirate crew! Monkey D. Luffy is our captain, and it's just me and Zoro so far, and we don't have a ship, but he's going to be the Pirate King and Zoro will be the World's Greatest Swordsman! How cool is that?_

_The game has started! Have you heard from Rosie, Stella, Jo, Germaine, or Isabel? Luffy says we're going to go to the Grand Line! I can't wait! I'm going to have a bounty soon, just wait! _

_And don't worry. I never lose games._

_ Signed, Your Baby Girl,_

_ Char_

"Pardon me, is it true you are pirates?" She looked up from the paper to see a marine guy standing in the door. His kerchief was different from the others' though. Also he looked kind of upset. She guessed that they had to kick them out since they were pirates and all, so she hurried to fold the paper into the envelope.

"That's right." Luffy answered, ignoring Coby's reaction.

"I see. Then I'm afraid we'll have to ask you to leave straight away, however we won't report you to HQ." He assured them. Char wasn't in the habit of trusting marines, especially after what had happened, but she gathered up the remaining food in a big tablecloth. This way at least they'd have plenty of food.

"Fine." Luffy nodded in understanding. They got ready to leave but the Marines noticed that Coby wasn't doing anything.

"Aren't you with them?" The man asked.

"What?-Ah! No…you see…" He stammered. She tilted her head at how funny he sounded. Why couldn't he just spit it out?

"He's not with us! But I can tell you what he's been doing the past year!" She looked up at her captain in question. "There was this fat hag-!"

"Luffy, you jerk!" Coby cut him off, going so far as to punch him.

"Why you!" Despite the angry tone, Char found that he was grinning. He cut into him, heavy fists raining blows that other than knocking him around didn't seem to do any damage.

"That's enough." Zoro said, grabbing his arm before he could punch Coby again. "Let him fall."

"So we're leaving town with everybody hating us, how very pirate like." The green haired man mused as they boarded their dinghy.

"I'm glad we passed that mail box! Now my daddy won't be worried!" Char hummed, arranging herself near the sail. The boat was so small she was afraid it might tip if she tried walking on the rails, so she would have to work with the tiny mast.

"LUFFY!" They all looked to the dock they had just left. Coby saluted once their eyes met.

"Thank you for everything!" Char watched as the marines from a minute ago lined up behind him.

"Men, SALUUUUTE~!" They brought their hands up at once. She had never heard of marines saluting pirates before or vice versa. It was against the rules. Had to be!

"Marines saluting pirates? That's not something you see every day." Zoro commented. Char nodded in agreement, bringing out Anna's Diary. Yep, right there on page 22! Rule 57: Under No Circumstances are Marines to be Approached in a Friendly or Respectful Manner Unless Playing Pretend.

"Ne, Char can you do magic?" Luffy asked. It had been some hours since they set out, and Char had been going through her trick bag to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be. Helmeppo didn't seem to have touched anything at least. Which was good, she needed these for the bigger illusions.

"Yep! Want to see?" She asked, holding up a bunch of marbles. Even Zoro look on in interest. She grinned at the thought of this new game to play.

"Day's Illusion: Planetary Alignment!" She chanted, throwing the marbles into the sky where they glinted in the daylight. With a twist of imagination and _my will be done_ the marbles had seemingly transformed! Now it appeared as though six moons and seven Suns circled around them.

"SUGOI!" Luffy salivated. He had no idea he had invited a _magician_ onto his crew! That was only slightly behind a musician in his book.

"Did you really like it?" She basked in the praise. She picked up the marbles as they fell to the deck, no longer Suns or moons.

"Then how about this? Day's Illusion: Dancing Tops!" She let loose a stream of small, colorful tops that quickly grew in size and began circling them, spinning over the water. The wobbled so fiercely as to make others believe they would fall at any moment.

"Again!" Luffy cheered. She laughed and put away the three tops into her pouch. The next thing she drew out was a wooden carving of a Galleon, about the size of Luffy's fist.

"Day's Illusion: Great Get Away!" The ship was tossed into the water, where it swelled to the size an actual galleon would be. An image of Char stood at the helm, sailing the great monster.

"Sugoi! Why didn't you tell me you had a ship, Char?" Luffy questioned, stretching a hand to board the ship.

"Gomu Gomu no…..!" He stretched.

"Wait! It's an illusion!" She tried to stop him.

"Rocket!" He crashed through the illusion, causing it to distort before breaking apart completely as Char cancelled the connection. Luffy hadn't come back up.

"Can't he swim? Shit!" Zoro cursed, diving over board. Char was left alone on their dinghy, picking up her toy boat with tears welling in her eyes. She hadn't meant to make Luffy fall off. She had just wanted to play.

Zoro came up with their captain, tossing him back over the railing. Char panicked for a moment before thumping his chest, causing him to spurt out water like a small fountain. She sighed in relief as he started breathing normally again and woke up. He still had that straw hat.

"Aw man, it was really realistic though! How'd you stand on it?" He asked her after she told him she couldn't bring out the ship again for them because it was only an illusion.

"That wasn't me, it was just another illusion of me! A picture!" She tried to explain. She showed him the technique, Night's Illusion: Living Shadow. It created a perfect copy of her that she could project her voice through. The only downsides were it couldn't touch anybody, though she could make it appear anywhere she liked without having to use a toy.

"How do you do that? Did you eat a devil fruit too?" Zoro asked, one eyebrow raised in slight challenge.

"Nope! I just have a great imagination." And if someone can imagine it, it can come true. That was a rule.

"Hey, why do you want to be Pirate King so bad anyway?" Zoro asked suddenly. It was the second day of their journey. Char looked down from where she stood on her hands on top of the mast. She had lost a lot of muscle, so she was trying to rebuild it by doing this.

"Because I made a promise to the man who gave me this hat." Luffy explained, taking the straw hat in hand. He looked at it for some time, lost in a memory. Char figured that the hat must be his treasure. The same way she treasured her cloak, even though it was really too big for her to wear.

"Hey, when are we going to reach land anyways?" Zoro asked. Char thought that was a good question. They would run out of food after dinner today. She didn't want to starve anymore! Her stomach was _just_ getting used to regular feedings again!

"How should I know, we're just being blown by the wind and currents." Their captain shrugged. This prompted Char to speak up.

"Are we lost?" She asked. What if they never found land? They'd all starve!

"No, we just wait until we hit land." Zoro corrected her. She wondered if that was right but decided not to worry. That was the benefit of sailing with adults, they got to make the hard decisions and fix the problems. She could just play with her toys. The green flute she pulled from her pouch didn't make music, it made bubbles. She could make bubbles the size of small boats if she blew hard enough.

"Hmm, we should get a navigator. And lots of meat! Eating apples are for the birds!" Luffy decided.

"Where would the navigator sleep? I'm not giving up my spot!" She glared, daring them to object. In her opinion she got the best spot because she could crawl onto the mast and sleep in the sail. It was a good way to sleep unless the wind suddenly changed direction at night and pushed her out.

"No one's going to take your spot." Zoro groaned.

"I bet we could eat that bird." Luffy said suddenly. Char looked up and noticed the giant pink bird flying over them. How could they catch it when it was so high up? If it tried to land on their boat they'd sink! Plus where would they cook it? They didn't have a kitchen, or even a fire place.

"Gomu Gomu no….!"


	3. The Rules Speak of Hell

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 3: In Which the Rules Speak of Hell.

"ROCKET!" Char was knocked down by his sudden take off. She and Zoro watched him climb higher, reaching the under belly of the bird. He hung for a minute, not doing anything, and they shared a curious glance.

"…Damn it, Luffy!" Zoro cursed, grabbing the oars. Char bit her lip as their captain struggled in the bird's beak. Animals were hard to catch in illusions, and it was so high up she knew that none of her toys could be tossed so far. All they could do was follow the trail.

"…Shipwrecked men off the prow!" Char gasped, pointing ahead of them. Zoro cursed again and looked over his shoulder at the three men begging for help.

"You'll have to grab on! I can't slow down!" He shouted at them. Char got ready in case they tried something stupid but she didn't think there was much chance of that.

They crashed into the men, who grabbed the rails and heaved themselves up. Char climbed onto the mast so there'd be enough room for everybody. She was the only one light enough not to break it. For a minute the men, pirates she guessed, caught their breath.

"Thanks for the rescue, we'll be taking your boat now." The middle man said, drawing a sabre. Char puffed up her cheeks in anger. That was hardly a polite thank you. She didn't have to do anything though, Zoro's eyes got a dangerous glint and before she could even begin to Play the men were doing the rowing and covered in bumps and bruises.

"Gomen! We're so sorry!" They all cried tears of pain. Char laughed at their faces.

"You'd better be. I lost sight of our captain thanks to you." Zoro grumbled, arms crossed as he leaned against the mast.

"We're so sorry!" They cried, afraid of provoking another beating.

"What crew are you guys from?" Char asked curiously, kicking her heels.

"We work under the great Captain Buggy, someone who's eaten the Devil Fruit! He's one of a kind." They all nodded with such conviction and Char wondered. Their captain ate a Devil Fruit too, so Buggy couldn't be all _that_ special.

"Keep rowing." She ordered, enjoying the way their eyes flicked down to the swordsman napping beneath her.

"Ne, Roronoa-sama? Why'd you bring your daughter out to sea with you?" A moment of silence,

"SHE'S NOT MY DAUGHTER!" broken by frantic denial.

"My name's Char, I'm an illusionist." She introduced herself with a smile. The three men chuckled at her cute antics, introducing themselves.

They landed at an island within the hour. No sooner had Char set foot on the dock than a great explosion ripped through the seemingly peaceful town. For a split second she blinked, her foot wrenched back up and onto the boat as though it were the cause of the destruction.

"That must have been one of captain Buggy's special Buggy Balls!" One of the crewmen they had picked up said.

"Buggy Balls?" Zoro smirked. He tensed suddenly and shot a glance at Char, wondering if she'd caught the allusion. She still seemed slightly freaked out by a good portion of the town disappearing.

"Show us to where you're holding base." Zoro ordered the trio of jokers. They snapped to attention and immediately began leading the way through the streets. When they began hearing signs of a party Zoro smirked and knocked out their escort.

Char didn't hold back in running, sprinting as hard as she could to keep at Zoro's heels. She mourned her stubby legs again but they weren't all that far from the party. They climbed to where the Buggy clown pirates were partying to a surprising sight.

Zoro didn't hesitate but Char didn't have that much battle experience. She saw a group of pirates ganging on an orange haired girl a split second before being knocked back by Zoro. She blinked and sought out her captain, for the straw hat that stood out so well.

He was in a cage with cement floor and roof, and thick iron bars. She walked over to the cage and waved to her captain before inspecting the lock. She _could_ pick the lock, maybe. She dug around in her pouch for the pick locks she carried. They were small though, meant for doors and things, not giant padlocks. Still she huffed and started inserting them into the mechanism.

"Hey Captain, how come there's no people here?" She asked as she got to work, keeping half an eye on Zoro's battle with the tomato-nosed clown. She _hated_ clowns. Almost as much as needles.

"Oh, they all ran away when that guy came." He explained. She nodded in understanding. She just needed one more pick and the cage would be open!

"Oh wow, he was really weak! Good job Zoro!" Luffy laughed as he saw Buggy fall in three pieces to the floor. Char glanced up from her work to see it. She thought it was weird that there wasn't any blood. Whenever she got cuts she always bled, wasn't it the same for everyone?

"That wasn't much of a fight." He sighed, sheathing his swords and turning to his captain. "How do you keep getting into these messes? First you get picked up by a giant bird and now you're in a cage?" He shook his head. Something told him this would be a regular occurrence.

"Well, now he can get out of the cage!" Char announced, opening it and showing off the now open padlock. She wasn't very fast at picking locks but this one was pretty old and simple.

"Great, let's leave then." Zoro sighed, stepping forward.

Luffy laughed as Char helped him stand up only for that laughter to turn to a horrified gasp. Char turned back around, cape fluttering in the sudden breeze. There was a sword sticking through Zoro's stomach. For a minute she didn't understand. She knew what stabbing was, and had even seen the results once, but she never imagined what it might be like to see it in a friend.

"Zoro!" She screamed, dropping the lock from lifeless fingers.

"He's alive!" The orange haired woman gasped, feeling the tables turning.

"Shit, I let my guard down." Zoro cussed. Blood pooled around his haramaki, staining the green cloth.

"You can't kill me with swords! I'm a chop-chop man! I ate the Devil Fruit!" Buggy boasted, reassembling his body. The lack of blood suddenly made a lot more sense. The dismembered hand that had stabbed him pulled out of his body, returning to Buggy's stump of an arm.

"You tomato-nose! I'll show you what Hell looks like!" She cried in a fury, reaching for a single orange and red top. She hoped she had recovered enough to pull this off. She climbed on top of the cage to send it spinning.

"T-T-Tomato-nose!?" Buggy cried. His crew gaped in open terror as Buggy's rage grew. The clown sent the hand with the bloodied dagger forward, eager to skewer the cloaked brat.

Char saw it coming. Her eyes widened, heart beat rising to a tempo it had never reached before and she stepped back, forgetting she stood on a small cage. She fell back, leaving an after image to be stabbed in her place.

To those watching though, she appeared to have died. The knife and hand flew straight through her small body before returning to Buggy. He smirked as she fell in slow motion. The image faltered at the apex of her fall, shattering.

"Wha-!?" Everyone gasped. Only two people in the audience understood what had just happened.

"**Hell's Illusion: Lonely Top!"** A giant top appeared, spinning perfectly straight as it headed straight for the crew. The sounds of crunching gravel were present, and wind tossed through the air. There was no sign but one that this was anything less than reality.

The cage it had materialized on top of remained unbroken. The top charged forward, scattering the denizens of Buggy's crew as they tried to escape the lone toy's revenge. Zoro and Luffy alone didn't flinch, and Nami was too slow to even attempt to run.

"Zoro, run." Luffy said seriously, eyes steady and voice unwavering despite the order he'd just issued.

"Understood." They must have been on the same wavelength.

"What? Do you have a plan?" Nami asked incredulously. She had to admit that while running sounded nice it wasn't much of a plan. The top was on top of them.

"They're going to realize it's not real soon." Char commented, getting up and resting her head on her arms over the cage. The top passed over them without harming them, but the clowns kept running around in a frenzy.

"…It…wasn't real?" Nami muttered, stunned that the top hadn't killed them all.

Zoro stood up, unmindful of his wound as he approached the canon. Slowly he hefted it, turning it to point in the opposite direction. He wasn't able to do more than that though, having to stop and clench his sides in a fruitless effort to keep blood on the inside.

"Light it!" He barked to the woman he'd saved. She dithered for a second, snatching up the matches. Unlike a moment before her hands were steady. She felt no guilt in firing such a weapon at these pirates.

The explosion was deafening. In the confusion the quartet ran. Char made sure to stick closer to Zoro, worried for the blood trail he left in his wake. She made sure to cover their tracks by letting her cloak drag over the blood spots. Hopefully it would make it harder to find them.

They stopped to catch their breath in front of a pet shop. Char fought to keep her back straight, knowing that hunching over would just make things worse. Luffy was still tied up and Zoro had collapsed, and the orange haired girl had followed them for some reason. Char figured she should probably learn her name.

"Who're you anyway?" Zoro beat her to it.

"I'm Nami, I'm a thief." Luffy felt the urge to 'correct' her.

"She's our new navigator." The one dubbed Nami decided to punch him on the head, giving rise to a pretty impressive knot on his head. Char blinked impishly and poked it, watching it shrink back down. Blunt attacks didn't do much good against Luffy, though he complained, loudly.

"No I'm not! And why is a little kid a pirate anyway?" Nami demanded, gesturing at the ten year old.

"I'm Char, an illusionist. Also the cabin girl!" She informed her. She had chosen the position herself. Cleaning their tiny boat was easy! She hardly had to do anything!

"I get it. They kidnapped you from your parents when they found out you could do that illusion thing." Nami muttered, glaring at the two men who were denying such accusations. They weren't doing a very good job of it.

Char tried to understand how she got that idea, after all her Daddy had seen her off himself and she'd sent him a letter just a little while ago! She was distracted from this by the dog, sitting before the pet store they had stopped beside. He was small, and white all over. He stood like a statue, if it weren't for the gentle rise and fall of his sides.

"Hello puppy-chan." She cooed, kneeling in front of him. He didn't do anything, just kept looking at the pet store. She wondered if he was hungry.

"What's with this dog? Is it dead?" Luffy laughed, reaching out with newly freed limbs. The dog didn't blink, didn't even twitch his nose until Luffy's hand was just within reach.

"YAH! Stupid dog! Let go!" The rubber boy squealed. He flung his arm up and down, making it stretch slightly from the extra weight. Char laughed, watching her captain's attempts to dislodge the animal.

"Hey now, leave Chouchou alone!" At once, with subconscious reflexes that placed them immediately to the best position for defense, they turned to greet the newcomer.

He was old, Char deduced. With grey hair that stuck up oddly and wearing weird armor that would fit a more muscular man. His glasses looked pretty thick. He started berating them, asking if they were with Buggy's crew. She wondered where he got that impression. Personally she thought they looked pretty normal next to that freak show. None of _them_ were wearing make-up.

Although, she reasoned. When she was older make-up would be acceptable. A bit of blush or some pretty pink lipstick. But not those creepy pale foundations with exaggerated smiles that Buggy's crew favored. Just natural colors.

She broke from her musings as the old man struggled to lift Zoro, who was sleeping now. She bit her lip worryingly before helping him as best she could. They laid him inside the mayor's house and began walking back outside.

"That straw hat father of yours' should be more careful, bringing you in to dangerous places like this." He comments as they rejoin the others.

"He's not my daddy! He's my captain!" She corrected him giggling.

"Oh I see the swordsman is your daddy!" He exclaimed. "My apologies."

"No, my Daddy lives on Pikachu Island!" She informed him.

"Hey mister, what's with this dog?" Luffy asked, staring at the dog that was adamantly ignoring the teen. Luffy was making it rather hard for the poor canine.

"That's Chouchou, he used to belong to the man who once owned this pet store." The mayor explained. The dog didn't even flinch, he just kept staring down the store as though he expected it to go up in flames when he wasn't looking.

At the end of the story Char sniffed. She felt a little bad for the puppy, but also really awed by him. Even after his owner died he stood guard over this pet store, his treasure.

"You're a really cool puppy, you know that?" She whispered conspiringly. "I have a treasure too, it's my cloak. It used to belong to my ancestress!" She informed him, letting the dog sniff the cloth. He sneezed once and wagged his tail at the strange human pup. He understood treasures left behind by those who were gone.

"Well isn't this interesting! I've found the thieves who dared steal from captain Buggy!" She gasped and turned around to see a giant lion, with a man riding on top. She gaped at him for a minute, only able to come to one conclusion!

"He looks like a teddy bear!" She shouted in glee, gesturing to his strange white hair.

"Why you…brat, I am _not_ a teddy bear! I am the feared Mohji, first mate of Captain Buggy's crew! The greatest beast tamer that ever lived! I can tame any animal!" He declared, spying the dog. "Just watch." He smirked.

She watched in awe as he stooped down to puppy-chan's level and held out his paw…his hand….He really did remind her of a teddy bear. She kind of wanted to hug him to see if he was stuffed. The sea was truly a mysterious place. And they weren't even at the Grand Line yet!

"Shake." He ordered imperiously to the dog. Chouchou was not impressed, and quickly made his opinion known.

"Ow! You stupid piece of fur!" The bear-man growled, tossing the animal off. Chouchou whimpered and tried to stand after being stunned. Mohji hopped back onto his lion, which now that she thought of it, for some reason reminded her of a kitten. It was probably the pink mane. Nothing really threatening could be pink. "Richie! Let's capture these fools and deliver them to the captain!"

"Roawr!" The lion reared on its hind legs, coming down to swat at Char. She gasped, instinctively bringing up one arm as though to shield herself. She was surprised when Luffy was in front of her an instant before the strike could land, being flung through a building!

"Luffy-chan!" She screamed in fear, seeing him go flying. It raised her temper by a mile and she wanted to bring out an illusion she _knew_ would have the over grown feline running with its tail between its legs.

"Now for the girl!" Mohji chuckled. He was caught by surprise when Richie instead looked at the pet store, though he quickly caught on. "You're hungry? Well fine, but make it quick. We still need to find Roronoa." He shrugged, easily forgetting about the girl. It wasn't as though a child could be a real threat after all.

"You stay away from there!" Char cried, reaching into her pouch until her fingers wrapped around a whistle. "I'm warning you!" Out of the corner of her eye she saw Nami and the mayor running towards where Luffy went flying. Good, he might need some help digging his way out of the rubble.

It never occurred to her to think that he might have died.

"This pest is getting annoying Richie, why don't we do something about that?" Mohji grinned. The lion purred in what might have been a laugh of his own, stalking up to the small girl who brought a whistler to her lips.

"**Hell's Illusion: Hounds of Hades!"** Her voice took on an eerie quality. Though too high pitched to seem threatening it held an odd echo, and sounded as though several girls spoke at once. The whistle was raised, copper flashed in the sunlight. When she blew no sound came out.

But four hounds seemingly made of the fires of Hell itself appeared, each no larger than an elephant. The heat from the illusion heated the whistle and burned her hand but she couldn't let go. She kept up the silent pitch that would convince Richie of the reality of this trick. Lava poured from gaping maws as they approached the stunned animal and trainer.

"N-no way!" He moaned in fear, shaking in his boots at the monsters that followed the will of such a child. "Is this s-some kind of joke?" He whimpered, on the verge of ordering his sweet pet to beat a hasty retreat. Char hoped he ordered it soon, the heat had reached unbearable levels and she could almost smell her flesh begin to cook.

The hounds lunged, eager to drive their prey back from their master. Richie yelped and jumped away from the attack, landing nearer the pet store. Char pursed her lips and tried to ignore her empty lungs, forcing air she no longer had into keeping up the illusion. All tricks and traps came with a price. Some required energy, like the Day and Night illusions. The Hell illusions were different in a way she hadn't figured out yet though. They required a sacrifice, always.

Richie was nothing if not a brave lion. He roared a challenge and waited for a hound to take the bait before leaping out of the way. Mohji's eyes became like saucers as he saw the hound pass through the building before turning and bounding back into the line. His mind made a connection between these nightmarish ghouls and the top that had appeared on top of their base.

Neither one was real.


	4. The Rules are Alluded to

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 4: In Which the Rules are Alluded To.

"Aim for the girl Richie! She's the one controlling this!" He roared, eyes bulging in anger over being made a fool of. Char dropped the illusion, head light from the lack of air as she watched the lion leap closer.

Chouchou took the blow this time and Char found that she hated herself a little. Twice now someone had to step in and save her. First her captain and now Puppy-chan?

_No,_ she promised. _Not while I'm still in the game!_ She put away the whistle, wincing only slightly at the burns. The lion leapt again, roaring its triumph at finally catching the girl in his claws, just inches away! Char gave her best Cheshire grin as she lifted her hood and faded totally from sight.

She jumped straight up, landing on the lion's paw before quickly making her way up. She used a mixture of balance and pure intuition to avoid his scrambling search for her. Finally she reached his head, where Mohji was trying to regain control of his rampaging pet. The pet store guarded so lovingly by Chouchou had been completely destroyed. Char's eyes filled with anger and her too-large hood fell as her fist reached back to deliver a blow to the stunned tamer.

"Go to Hell!" She told him, hitting as hard as she could. He flew from his perch and to the ground. Richie, having finally located his quarry, reared back to make her fall off.

Char screamed as she came crashing down, bouncing off the pavement below. She held back a flood of tears and forced herself to roll out of the way of his next attack. A stress ball, neon green, floated into her grasp and she chanted the words.

"Night's Illusion: Rolling Trap!" The ball began to grow as she threw it overhead. The lion flinched, not smart enough to realize this too was only a trick. Mohji quickly returned to his seat as the lion jumped up and over incoming projectile. Char smirked and pulled up her hood again. When he landed she darted between his legs, searching out for a specific part of the male anatomy.

She was too small to do any real damage with just a kick, but she did happen to have some tricks up her sleeves. All she really needed was the small whip she used in street performances. An upward lash had Richie singing a different tune.

"You guys have no respect for someone's treasure! Get lost!" She shouted, drawing back her hood. A fire raged behind her. The pet store, no!

Her moment of distraction cost her dearly. Mohji seized the advantage. Richie swiped at her with his mighty claws. This time he connected.

"Gaah!" She cried, flying back and into the flames. Heat scorched her lungs, stealing the air she needed so desperately to breathe. Her head swam sickeningly as she got to her feet and stumbled to the exit. Richie's great maw came down first though, sucking in the pet food. Char gasped and coughed, feeling herself choke on the foul air all around her. He drew out, taking a bag of treats with him. She finally stumbled out of the doorway.

"AROOOO!" It was a lonesome note, she mused. She had lost the match, been completely unable to protect the puppy's treasure. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath. All her illusions had done was make them even angrier. She'd gotten in a good few hits, but in the end she had lost.

"_Come on Char, get back up." Germaine stood in front of her. She was the next youngest, besides Char. She was still seven years older though. Char had been what Jo called an Oopsie baby._

"_I can't!" Char had been only seven, with two sisters off at sea and another two getting ready to leave the next day. "Germaine, I'm tired!" Germaine had been drilling her in Dim Mak for the better part of the day. Now the Sun was going down, giving an ominous quality to the scene. Germaine's gently frowning face was bathed in shadows. The vision of her most gentle sister in such shading made Char shudder._

"_Being a pirate means that sometimes you'll be tired. Sometimes you're going to be hurt, bad. Sometimes there's going to be days when you don't want to get out of bed." Germaine walked up and fisted the front of Char's shirt in one hand, slamming her against the wall of their home._

"_Little sister, are you ready for the consequences?" The hand loosened, let her stand on her own feet but held her up when her legs refused to stay firm. "You can't quit in the middle of the game."_

"Oi kid! Wake up! Kid!" Char groaned and coughed as the world came starkly into focus. Nami stood over her, sighing in relief at her return to the waking world. Char shivered as she remembered that dream, a vision of long ago.

"Thank goodness, you're alright." Nami didn't seem to notice, or maybe took the shudder for one of pain. The burns marking her skin were bad. The cloak was charred at the end, but hadn't caught on fire.

"Luffy left, screaming about kicking that lion tamer's ass." She remarked. Char grunted in understanding as she sat up. Her skin stretched painfully and she bit her lip to stop the tears.

"_Quitting means you lose, Char. I thought you _never_ lost a game."_ Yeah, that was right. She never lost. She didn't always play fair, but she _always_ won. Pain was a kind of game too, and she knew how to beat it. Trembling fingers moved to different points on her body, pain and pleasure both would be blocked for three hours. After that the pain would return, at double the force.

"What are you doing? Just stay down!" Nami scolded her, strong arms coming to hold the ten year old down. She'd only hurt herself even worse if she tried to move. Char paused when she saw the wreckage of the once pet store. Chouchou's head was bowed, his treasure completely destroyed.

Nami noticed where her gaze was located. The old hate, as warm and comforting as any campfire, returned. The things pirates would do! Burning homes, separating families, pillaging and murdering to their black hearts' content, everything about piracy made her sick!

"_Pirates!"_ The sound was a curse on her lips. "I hate them all! The only thing they do is destroy the things people love, taking them away!" She turned to the straw hat boy who had just returned. The spoils of war slung over one of his shoulders.

"I should just kill you here and now!" She declared hotly. The earlier hesitation with the canon was forgotten. This man sailed under the Jolly Roger as well. He was stupid, but even stupid men know how to kill.

"As if you could touch me." He stated, not sparing her a moment's glance. Char looked up at her captain, relief intermingled with shame. If he hadn't taken that blow for her he would've been _here._ He was strong enough to have protected the shop, she was sure. Instead the only defenders had been a ten year old girl and a dog.

"Here Dog, this was all I could save." He said, settling down the bag of treats in front of the dog. Char felt that if animals could cry, Chouchou would be sobbing in gratitude. It was pathetically small, compared to what he'd lost, but she could recognize in him the gratefulness of anything surviving at all.

"…You fought him? Just for that Dog?" Nami mumbled. Her staff was lowered and Char looked at the mikan-headed woman.

"I didn't see everything, but I know you and Char gave it your best shot!" He grinned. He acted as though he hadn't heard her. "You both got pretty banged up, but don't worry, I took care of him. I really kicked his ass. You shouldn't mess with peoples' treasures." He thought she'd done good?

"Ne, I want to kick Buggy's ass." He suddenly commented. It made Char laugh from the way he phrased it.

The Earth shattering explosion shocked them all, breaking the thin atmosphere of victory. For a minute Char couldn't move, couldn't breathe. It was like being stuck in the fire but the only thing stopping air from reaching her brain was her own lungs. Slowly, like the old woman she might never grow up to be, she turned around.

Another street had been completely wiped off the face of the map, leaving only rubble and dust in its wake. One gap in particular cried out to her, urging her to _get up, get up!_ _He'd been hurt _baka!

"Z-Zorooo!" She wasn't sure which of them had screamed loudest, captain or cabin girl?

"Damn, what a way to wake a guy up." His voice was scratchy with sleep. Rubble shifted and a mossy green head poked out, looking around as if he wasn't sure where he was or how he'd gotten there but it wouldn't really matter because _someone_ obviously needed their collective ass kicked.

"You're okay!" Char smiled, launching herself into a gentle hug, mindful of his wound. Zoro grunted a bit and awkwardly patted her head. He took note of the burns and the charred piece of cloth that dearly needed a washing.

"What happened to you? You're filthy." He questioned, sneering a bit at the ash that came out of her head when it bobbed up to look him in the eye.

"I was in the pet store when it caught on fire. I got out though!" She assured him, as though it hadn't been obvious.

"I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" The mayor shouted to the heavens. "These people are destroying this town, our home, our treasure! I won't forgive them!" He declared.

"A man should fight for what he holds dear, right?" He asked himself. Luffy was the one who answered.

"Right." He solemnly nodded. He looked like he was trying hard not to grin.

"Don't encourage him!" Nami scolded the boy, slapping his head again. "Buggy will kill him!"

"That may be, but if I don't fight for my treasure then I can't call myself a man!" The mayor announced. "I'M COMING FOR YOU BUGGY!" Char watched as a cloud of dust trailed in his wake.

"Why didn't you stop him?" Nami cried accusingly. Char sort of wished Nami would stop blaming Luffy for things. If someone wanted to play you couldn't just _stop_ them. She was _pretty sure_ that was in the Rule Book.

"Don't worry Nami, I like that ossan. I'm not going to let him die." Luffy had already decided. Char felt better about it too. Because Luffy was strong, way stronger than she was, maybe even stronger than Zoro. He could protect the mayor.

"Now then, let's go!" He shouted, getting all pumped up.

"Aye!" Char yelled, throwing her arms in the air. A new game was just getting started. The score was tied but Char always played to win.

"Are you coming, Nami?" Luffy turned to his navigator.

"…Rather than joining you let's say we're simply working together for a common goal." She smirked. "So long as I get all the treasure I'm happy."

"Yosh!" Luffy laughed. "Let's go!"

A few minutes later they had arrived. The Mayor challenged Buggy and just when Char was starting to wonder if the pirate clown would do anything, the Mayor started to levitate! She took an inappropriate moment to stare at the unusual sight. She hadn't known he could _fly!_

Luffy steps forward and yanked something-a hand she realizes- off of his neck. Before the Mayor could catch his breath, Luffy quickly knocked him out. Char winced at the loud crack of the man's face hitting the building.

"Why did you do that?" Nami demanded. Char hesitantly poked the man. He was still breathing so he must've been fine. He was just sleeping.

"He would've been in the way." Her captain pointed out. She had to agree with him. Despite the armor it was pretty obvious the Mayor had never gotten into a fight before.

"Hey Big-nose! Let's fight!" He shouted up at the clowns. Char shuddered and gagged at all the heavy make-up they were wearing.

"B-B-Big-nose!?" Buggy stammers in outrage. She kind of wants to giggle at how his veins bulge out but she's still just a tiny bit afraid of him. Clowns were just plain creepy. "Men, prepare my special Buggy Balls! I want that straw hat boy blown to smithereens!"

Nami's eye twitched at the name and shot a quick glance to Char. Luckily the ten year old seemed more interested in trying to find something in her fanny pack to pay attention to the double meaning. Kids really didn't have a place fighting pirates. She had to wonder how Char got mixed up in stuff like this. And how was she even standing with all those burns?

"Aye sir!" The clowns all hopped to. Soon enough a canon was aimed at them and Char looked to Luffy for orders. She could probably make an illusion of all of them somewhere else, but Luffy didn't look scared at all. In fact he was grinning, that special grin of his with too much teeth.

"We need to run!" Nami yelled, shaking as it was lit. They couldn't re-aim that thing in a hurry! If they could just _move-!_

The blast was deafening. They must have shortened the fuse. Char automatically crouched down, blue-grey cloak pulled over the Mayor and herself as though merely being invisible could shield them.

"Gomu Gomu no….Balloon!" Her eyes widened as Luffy inhaled so much air his rubbery body inflated. She made a note to try jumping on him later. Right then though she threw off her cloak, leaving it on the Mayor so no one would try to attack him, and watched the canon ball hit home.

It bounced off. She laughed as she watched the clowns try to scurry out of the way. When the explosion was over the entire building had been demolished. She stared in awe at the level of destruction. Her skirt ruffled in the breeze and her hair flew around. By the time she'd gotten it back under control the dust had settled.

"Wow." She muttered. A couple of pirates had managed to stand up. Buggy had shielded himself with two of his own men. She could never understand how someone could follow a person like that! Someone who didn't care about your well-being wasn't worth the effort in her opinion.

"Cabaji, you bastard! How dare you do that to Richie!?" The tamer teddy bear from earlier got to his feet. Another guy with a weird haircut and a blue and white checkered scarf had used the lion as his shield.

"I was afraid that my outfit would get dirty." The weird guy, Cabaji, explained.

"You bastard-!" He was interrupted by his captain.

"Mohji, you didn't mention that the straw hat boy had eaten a devil fruit." Buggy growled. Char's head tilted as she processed this. They hadn't _known?_ Well then they must be pretty stupid.

"B-Because I was unconscious. I'm sorry, captain." Mohji quivered.

"I suppose I'll forgive you this once, but bring me the illusion girl! We'll _force_ her to join our crew!" He was still angry about the Tomato-nose thing. Still, having someone who could make illusions like that giant top would be incredibly useful.

"Nu-Uh! I'm not joining your crew!" She protested vehemently.

"Yeah, stupid big-nose! She's ours!" Luffy shouted beside her.

"Cabaji, take out that straw hat!" Buggy ordered.

"Aye!" The weird guy grinned. Char's jaw dropped when he got onto a unicycle and started charging Luffy. "Prepare yourself!" Just when she was sure Luffy would be run over and stabbed, Zoro stood and intercepted the charge.

"_I'll_ be your opponent, circus freak." He declared. Char noticed he was wearing his bandana again. It made him look as fierce as a demon when he put it on.

"Hmm, killing the demon hunter Roronoa Zoro _would_ boost my reputation." Cabaji smirked. Char only caught on to one part of that sentence.

"Zoro, you used to hunt _demons?_ Sugoi!" She grinned. Best. Crew. Ever!

"Char, why don't you pay more attention to your own fight?" He suggested through the hilt of his white sword.

"I have to fight the teddy bear guy? Okay!" She pumped her fist, turning to face her new opponent.

"Your illusions won't work on me now, gaki!" Mohji warned her, drawing his whip. Her eyelids lowered to half-mast as she smirked. He really thought illusions were the _only_ trick up her sleeve? They were a big part of the game, but she'd be a fool to play with only half a deck.

Without his lion he was a lot less of a threat. "Bring it teddy!" She challenged, cart wheeling out of the way of his whip. She rolled beneath another strike and began moving forward, almost bending herself double to avoid the whip.

"Dim Mak, special technique: A Thousand Years of Pain!" She intoned, piercing fingers darting forward. Two into his torso, one in each shoulder, then she bounced away when he tried to regain his balance and catch her.

"Itai!" He cried, dropping his weapon in surprise. Those little pokes didn't look like they held a lot of power, and yet now his entire body was screaming in agony. He'd never felt such pain before!

"What did you do?" He demanded of the girl. She had the audacity to be flashing him such a cocky look.

"Once I'm in range you're just another toy."


	5. The Rules are Upheld

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 5: In Which the Rules Are Upheld.

"Forget it! I'll work _through_ the pain." It occurred to Char that she had put in the pain blocks an hour ago. That meant she only had two hours left before she'd be unable to move at all. Plenty of time to finish this!

His control of the whip had noticeably weakened. Although he did his best to ignore his singing nerves his body couldn't respond as fast as before. Not when the body was misinforming the mind to think he'd been shot in all these areas at point blank range. With the conflicting signals-brain insisting there was nothing wrong body _screaming_ there was-she had almost finished up the fight.

"How did you pull that disappearing trick earlier?" Mohji demanded, trying to buy time for his body to recover. Char didn't intend to give him that time.

"I'm an illusionist, take a wild guess!" She taunted, pitching forward and letting the whip wrap around her forearm. The rough edges bit into numb skin, directly over a burn. Later, that would hurt. Right now she just let him pull her close before she took a leap, using strong thigh muscles to propel her over his outstretched arms. Twisting in midair she placed a steadying hand between his shoulder blades, maintaining contact as she completed the controlled fall.

Mohji gasped as several small punches landed near the small of his back before his legs gave out from under him. He landed in an unceremonious pile and attempted to pick himself up, to figure out what that blasted little girl had done to him, but his body refused to cooperate. Only his arms were still mobile.

"That's Game Over." Char said unnecessarily, coming to a stop behind him, facing now towards the fight between unicycle man and Zoro. "I win." She added quietly, that same feeling of pride filled her tiny chest. Her smirk vanished, replaced again by a look of mischief.

In her opinion, the clowns completely deserved to be pick-pocketed and Nami was already taking care of the treasure. So she carefully placed the Day's Illusion: Chameleon Paint illusion over herself and snuck by the Tomato-nose guy. It was an illusion that made her look like whatever was directly behind her, just like the animal it was named for. It took a lot of concentration though, and it wasn't as good as her cloak.

The clowns gave her a surprisingly good haul, she even took some of the stuff they had for performances. Throwing knives, ribbons, tightropes, and several days' worth of clothes that-for the strangest reason-were just her size, were the least valuable of the things she found and claimed. Char held up one absolutely adorable sailor outfit that she decided to keep for the sole reason that she wanted to look like an actual cabin girl.

She gathered the stuff and whatever food seemed to have survived with some measure of edible qualities. Looking out past the unconscious clowns she noticed that Zoro had finished up and was snoring away. Luffy was still fighting Buggy, but the clown wasn't playing _fair._

She huffed and crept closer as he tried to attack Nami, who was trying to get away with two really heavy bags of treasure.

"Give those back! They're mine!" Buggy demanded, disembodied hands trying to wrench the bags out of her grasp.

"No way, they're mine!" Nami argued, pulling back just as hard. "I stole them so they're mine!" Char nodded in agreement, though she knew no one could see her. Finders Keepers was in the rule book, in the top ten right beside the note to Always put money in separate hiding places on the body, so that when someone _did_ manage to pick-pocket you they didn't get everything.

She moved her new stuff over by Zoro and then guessed that she'd be able to hold this illusion for a bit longer. She tip toed behind Buggy to get to the place she _thought_ she'd left the Mayor and her cloak in.

_It's always so hard to find it when it's invisible,_ she mused. Finally her foot scuffed against empty air and she grinned, wrapping her fingers around see through fabric. _So there you are!_

She had to drop the technique because she couldn't make it cover the Mayor too while _dragging_ him to safety. Relative safety anyway, she amended. Next to Zoro was about as safe as safe could be when facing pirate clowns. Besides, she did sort of want to make sure his guts didn't fall out. There was some stuff in Anna's Diary about treating wounds so she could _probably_ sew it up at least.

"MY HAT!" She looked up from where she was dragging the dead weight to see Buggy plunging three daggers through her captain's straw hat. It looked so sad right then, nicked and cut up. It was such a big part of Luffy that she was amazed to see him without it. Somehow it just didn't fit!

"I will _never_ forgive red haired Shanks for what he did to me!" Buggy declared, taking the hat in hand.

"He saved your life." Luffy deadpans. She blinks for a minute, trying to understand whatever it was that she missed.

"No he didn't! Because of that no-good bastard I had to delay my plans for ten years!" He argued. Now she was _really_ confused. So not dying set back his plans for ten years? What was he planning to do in the afterlife? Did that mean he believed in God?

If he did, he was doing a pretty bad job of it. She was _pretty_ sure that people who believed in God weren't allowed to wear make-up or eat Devil Fruits.

The fight ended with Chibi-Buggy being sent flying by a rubber bazooka! She whistled appreciatively when he vanished from sight. It'd be bad for him if he landed in the ocean, but she didn't really care. He'd been really mean, stabbing Zoro in the back, ordering his men to do bad things, and then tearing up Luffy's hat.

"I guess I can still wear it." Luffy mumbled as he retrieved his treasure.

"…Hey, tell you what, I'll sew it up for you later." Nami offers. Like the sun rising the grin overtook his face. Fix his hat? Have his new navigator fix his hat? That sounded like the best idea he'd heard all day!

"Oi, Char, Zoro, ready to go?" He asked, turning to his other crewmates. Char was peeking under Zoro's haramaki, holding it with two fingers to try to get as little blood as possible on her hands. She stuffed in something cloth, a shirt probably, to hold in the blood and then let the haramaki down again to apply pressure.

"Ready, captain!" She answered him, wiping away the blood on her suspenders.

"Hey you kids!" She jumped in surprise and turned to see a mob coming from down the street. They were led by an old guy who'd lost most of his hair. Actually it looked like his hair migrated to his _ears!_

"Did Buggy's clowns do this?" He asked, kneeling down beside the Mayor. He still hadn't moved and she noticed for the first time that his glasses were broken now.

"Ah, no. I did that." Luffy confessed innocently. In an instant every angry look was turned on him.

"GET HIM!" The cry went out. Char yelped and grabbed her bag of souvenirs. It seemed time to book it!

"Shishishishishi!" Luffy laughed, hauling Zoro onto his bag and taking off running. Nami followed too, clutching her treasure. Char found that she once again had to curse her stubby legs. Maybe she needed to work on speed more?

"Thanks dog!" Luffy called as they jumped over the puppy-chan. She twisted and made a simple illusion to make it appear that the alley ended in a pile of rubble. It would buy them a couple of minutes but when they reached the docks it would be too far to keep the illusion running.

"Ha, now we'll finally have revenge on the girl who stole our boat and tricked us!" Char couldn't figure out at first that they weren't talking about her. It would probably take some getting used to for her to remember that there was a new female member of the crew, a navigator.

It was the three men she and Zoro had saved and who Zoro had made row them here! They swaggered up as though they owned the place and Char huffed irritably. She was _sick_ and _tired_ of clowns right now. These guys didn't wear as much make-up as the others, but darn it all she had used _a lot_ of illusions today, big ones, and she wanted to _sleep._

"Night's Illusion: Twisting Trail!" She chanted. The men all yelled and charged, Nami screamed in surprise and fear but they all turned as one and began running towards the ocean, where they kept swimming. For a minute Nami watched them get further away from the shore.

For a kid, Nami reasoned. Char sure did have a lot of nasty tricks up her sleeves. She watched the kid crawl up into the sail of the tiny dinghy they'd been sailing on, wrapping her cloak around her like a blanket. She even went as far as to draw a stuffed cat out of her fanny pack to cuddle with. In a matter of minutes her breaths had evened out into true sleep.

"…Hey, where's my other bag of treasure?" She questioned, noticing only one on the boat with her. Luffy quit picking his nose, inspecting the tip of his finger before answering.

"Oh that, I left it behind." Any remaining thoughts about Char were shoved away for far more important matters.

"You baka! That was five million beris! How could you leave that behind?!" She demanded, trying to shove his rubbery head into the water.

"Ah! Nami stop! I'll drown!" He shouted. Char grumbled and woke to glare at her noisy captain. She _could_ make an illusion to make him temporarily deaf, but that took energy and she was too tired to be bothered by that. "They needed money to rebuild their town!"

"Captain, hush!" She growled, tossing a top at his head. It bounced off, landing on the deck near a sleeping Zoro. How he slept through that was a mystery to her! "Little girls need sleep! Take a nap or I'll make you stand in time out!" She warned him. It was weird that a captain would listen to the cabin girl, but oh so useful.

"Go back to sleep Char." Nami sighed. She wanted to stay angry but couldn't find it in herself to continue trying to drown the straw hat guy.

Luffy giggled in relief and automatically reached up to hold his hat in place when a breeze blew past. He frowned when his fingers brushed the long cuts made by Buggy's daggers. He couldn't believe that clown had torn up Shanks' hat! He took off the hat solemnly to inspect the damage. He winced a bit to see the loose straw falling from the tears.

Nami saw him contemplating his signature hat and bit her lip. Finally she held out a hand expectantly. She _had_ said she'd fix it later. It was later now.

"Eh?" He tilted his head questioningly at her hand. She felt impatience flush through her body and she snapped.

"Just hand it over and I'll fix it, okay?" He grinned again, as though remembering the offer made in the wake of Buggy's defeat. The straw hat in the palm of her hand tickled, loose pieces waving contrary to the wind. She applied thread to needle and settled herself in, uncomfortably aware of the hopeful gaze of Monkey D. Luffy.

_Stella and Isabel were nine years older than she was, and acted exactly according to all the stories about twins she'd ever heard. Every single myth of being one mind in two bodies. They looked exactly alike, right down to a gap between the front teeth and the way they parted their hair to the right. Isabel was five minutes older, Stella was five minutes younger._

"Alright, let's play the which one is Stella-chan game!" _They sang in unison, dancing round and round their baby sister to make her lose track of which twin was which. Char laughed as they came to a stop, perfect mirror images of each other, back to back with hands clasped, and expectant smiles._

"_Ano, Stella-neechan's on the left this time!" She laughed, pointing. Both twins shared a look, communicating in a way only they knew, before turning to their sister._

"EEERRRRNNNT! Wrong!"_ They cried out, imitating a buzzer on a show._

"_Nope," Char frowned. "I know I'm right." Because this was a game, and she always won games, no matter the challenge._

Char yawned and completed her set of push-ups on the mast beams. Luffy's hat was fixed, and he was currently trying to fish by the railing. She had kept an eye on him throughout her training just in case he fell in. Which, to be fair, had already happened twice. Zoro was sleeping, he'd only woken up long enough to eat some food before passing out again. She had checked the wound, with Nami's help, but now there wasn't much left to do but wait for him to heal.

As for Nami, she'd been counting over her treasure and eyeing the bundle Char had brought along. She was probably curious about what she'd stolen from the clowns. Not that she could _blame_ the orange haired girl. She had gotten some _pretty_ good stuff.

And she was a kid, and sometimes, kids just needed to show off. It was all part of the game. So she took out the bundle and began organizing it, trying to see what she could fit into her bag of tricks and what she'd have to get _creative_ with. She _loved_ being creative.

The ribbons were good for an illusion she had always wanted to use. Hell's Illusion: Fire Lash created whips of flame that set fire to anything they touched. She'd never used it before but she knew how to use a whip, though she preferred hand-to-hand.

"What, no money?" Nami muttered, obviously unimpressed by her horde. Char decided that grownups just didn't know how to appreciate the finer things. The world didn't revolve around money. If she wanted money, she'd put the Night's Illusion: Ageless Wraith on herself and walk into a casino. She could _really_ clean out with all those games, but it was _hardly_ challenging. The money practically _flew _into her hands.

This probably explained why everyone on Pikachu Island had banned her from casinos in the first place. After the third trip, and numerous instances where she experimented to check if people could tell it wasn't her in different disguises, she had stayed away. It wasn't as fun when people caught on to the trick. Now whenever someone got on an unbeatable winning streak everyone in the village would _test_ that person to see if they were actually her in disguise.

Around lunch time Nami got fidgety. She glared hard at Luffy eating his way through their fruit and Zoro lazing around and Char balancing on fingertips. She began tapping her chin with a finger, tapping a random rhythm that seemed to grow more irritated as time wore on. Char began wondering when she'd blow up, and what would be the straw that broke the camel's back. It turned out to be Luffy whining for meat.

Not an isolated event, but to be fair-she could be fair with allies and crewmembers-it _was_ the tenth time in five minutes. Luffy's whining voice grated on her ears too. She would try gagging him if she wasn't afraid he might eat it.

"That is it! You're never going to make it to the Grand Line like this!" She declared angrily. Char was surprised by the outburst and nearly fell on top of Zoro. If she hadn't been have circus acrobat she would've landed smack dab on his wounds. Nami's voice was powerful!

"Mmm, you're right. Fruit is for the birds. We need some real meat." Luffy nodded faux seriously. She giggled at his serious face, lower lip pulled up in a pout with eyebrows pursed so he looked like a grumpy kid. She did that look _so_ much better than him. Maybe she could give him a few tips?

"And booze." Zoro put in, shaking an empty bottle. Nami growled and proceeded to outline _exactly_ why going to the Grand Line in their condition would be suicidal. Char wasn't really paying attention. Again, that was what _adults_ and _grownups_ were for. _They_ made the tough decisions and _she_ got to play games and do handstands on the mast, like now.

"It's settled then, we should reach Syrup Island in a couple hours!" She tuned back into the conversation then. Somehow she had completely missed Nami beating on Luffy and Zoro, leaving steaming red bumps on their heads and bruises on their faces.

Char decided to make it a rule to never make Nami super angry like that.


	6. Rules are Broken

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 6: In Which Rules are Broken.

Syrup Island's beach was weird. It had cliffs, huge ones straight up and down, on either side with one long ramp going up. Char yawned and stretched her arms high over her head, tree reaching for sunlight, then brought them down over each side, bird in flight. Beside her she saw Luffy laughing happily about getting some meat on the island and a ship. She definitely agreed about the ship. If they got more members they'd need places for them to sleep! She wasn't giving up _her_ spot!

"Okay!" She cried, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she faced her friends. "Forward, to victory!"

"Eh?...Is there a fight?" Luffy asked, head listing to one side. She paused for a moment, jubilant fist falling.

"No, it's just something you should say when you're doing stuff on an island." She shrugged. Okay, normally Anna used it for when they planned to _commandeer_ supplies or fight marines, but some allowances were to be made for crews just starting out.

"I see." Luffy hummed. "Forward, to meat!" He roared, even louder than she'd done. She giggled helplessly at his determined grin. There were good things to be said about having Luffy for a captain.

Nami shook her head, impossibly fond, at the girl and her captain. Char was a mass of contradictions, a serious fighter and flighty and innocent child, a chilling trickster when her illusions were called for. Luffy was amazingly simplistic with simple-if not _idealistic_-goals and a grin that was all teeth. Even Zoro seemed to run on a specific pattern of _find threat, drink booze, sleep._

"There should be a village up that way." She said, nodding towards the strange ramp leading to the high ground. Luffy laughed again and took a couple steps forward, only to dance in a way that wasn't half as _interesting_ to watch as Char's fighting style. Though she had to admit, later in the privacy of her mind, that it was infinitely _funnier._

"Don't come any closer pirates!" Warned a nasally voice. Char looked up at the cliff side. Out of the bushes had come a boy, with a long nose and wearing brown overalls. In one hand he held a green sling shot, and though his grin was smug his face gleamed with the cold sweat of fear.

"If you try to invade this village my 80 million men will tear you apart!" He boasted. "You don't want to mess with the Great Captain Ussop!" He gestured to himself.

"Sugoi!" Luffy gaped, eyes gleaming with the light of the easily impressed.

"He's lying." Nami said shrewdly. Char blinked and raised an inquisitive brow. He was lying to them? Well, it wasn't exactly nice but it wasn't against the rules.

"She saw through it!" He cried, arms coming up in surprise.

"See? He said I saw through it." Nami gestured, shaking her head at his sheer idiocy. She was better at this game when she'd been Char's age. "Besides, this island couldn't support 80 million men."

"She knows!" Came three high pitched voices. Char watched as three boys around her age came up from the bushes and took off running, soon far out of sight with only a cloud of dust to reveal their passage. It was pretty impressive to see them run away so fast. They must've been practicing a lot.

Ussop seemed to quiver in place for a moment, Char imagined he saw a hundred ways he could die in the time it took to blink. Funnily enough he seemed to still, calm as the clouds on a windless day, when he noticed her. He leveled his sling shot, his weapon, at Luffy and puffed out his chest.

"Release your captives, that woman and her child, and I _won't_ fill you with holes from my mighty slingshot!" He roared at the boy in the straw hat. "I should warn you that this sling shot is more powerful than a pistol!"

"Nami's not my mama!" "She's not my daughter!" Came two voices. Char doubled over laughing while Nami fumed. If that long nosed boy thought _she_ was the mother that meant he was tacking on years to her age! She was _eighteen_, not _thirty!_

"Heh," Luffy smirked, bringing the brim of his hat down to shade his eyes as he gazed up at a proud peacock of a boy. "So you've leveled your _pistol_, but are you ready to _fire_ it?"

"N-Nani?" Ussop stuttered. The entire atmosphere of the meeting had changed.

"Guns aren't for threats, they're for action." He continued. "If you level that at me then you're saying you're ready to risk your life."

"You'd better believe it, we're real pirates." Zoro stepped up. Char smirked when he slid his sword out an inch with his thumb. So this was a game? She'd love to play. She reached back and flipped up her hood.

"We don't do things half assed." Ussop nearly fell from the Cliffside as the voice of the little girl came from behind him. There she stood, somehow having teleported from the ground to right behind him! Did pirates really have such threatening powers?

Ussop's knees shook beneath his weight, slowly breaking down until he kneeled on the dirt. He looked downward at the deceptively small pirate crew. The girl had once again vanished from sight and reappeared on the ground, as though she'd never moved at all. They all smirked up at him, confident in the victory they would win if they came against him.

"Real pirates…" He gulped. "Are so cool!"

Luffy couldn't bear it any longer. His uncharacteristic smirk vanished, replaced by the toothy grin he beamed at all walks of life. Huge guffaws ripped from his throat, he placed his hands on his stomach to try to quell the laughter but it had just been too good!

"Haha, I stole that line from Shanks!" He gasped.

"Stole it?" Ussop numbly repeated. Luffy sobered up enough to grin up at the sharp shooter.

"Yep! Your dad's Yassop, right?" He questioned. The old sharp shooter had nagged his ears off with stories about his son. The way Yassop told it, his son was a man among men who stood ten feet tall and ate marines for breakfast.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Ussop nodded, getting back to his feet.

Char watched the proceedings with amusement. Ussop was so happy about meeting a friend of his dad's that he escorted them to a nice restaurant in his village. She happily ordered some food and decided that she liked Ussop. He was funny, had a super long nose, and he was paying. What was there _not_ to like?

"Geez, don't these guys have any manners?" Nami muttered beside her. Char was prone to agreeing with her. It was really bad manners to steal someone's food right of their plate.

"By the way Ussop, do you know where we could get a ship around here?" She asked, turning to their new friend.

"Well I don't know." He said uncomfortably. "This is a pretty small town."

"What about that big mansion on the hill?" Zoro asked, pointing at the window. Char looked and had to admit it _was_ pretty big. It reminded her of Rosie's doll house actually. It looked so pretty! She wondered if there was a girl who looked like a Barbie doll who lived inside. With a butler? That would be so cool!

"Don't go over there!" Ussop ordered forcefully, climbing to his feet to stand at his full height. Char gaped in surprise for a second. This was the first one hundred percent confident thing he'd said since they met. Even he seemed like he couldn't believe it, for in the next second he had reverted to normal.

"A-Anyway, e-eat as much as you like! I have somewhere to be, bye!" He called, halfway out the door before they could think to call him back.

She blinked in confusion. _He was really angry about us talking about the mansion. Maybe he knows the Barbie girl there!_ Her ten year old female mind latched onto that idea. _Maybe he's secretly in love with her! And they're going to be married!_ She grinned and finished swallowing the last of her meal before Luffy could steal it. It would be like Romeo and Juliet, only without the sad ending.

"That Ussop guy's pretty cool." Luffy mentioned once the serious business was out of the way. Every last crumb had been vacuumed into the pit of his mouth.

"I like him!" Char declared. She wanted to meet his Barbie girlfriend! It would be cool if they wanted to be pirates, but they still needed a ship. She wasn't sure where Ussop or Barbie-chan would sleep if they came on their journey with them.

"I saw the captain run in here." She turned around to see the three boys from earlier. They were talking about a captain, did they mean Luffy? Why did they want to find Luffy?

"Hey, you're the pirates from earlier!" The one with the green head gasped.

"Yep, and you're the boys who ran off earlier." She nodded, smiling at him. "Why'd you do that? We could play some games together!" She suggested. Luffy was _almost_ right, but he just couldn't compare to kids her own age.

"W-We weren't running!" The glasses boy protested. "It was a _tactical retreat!"_ She made an oh sound and nodded. That made sense, but she would have to ask Nami what the difference was later. She didn't want them to know that she didn't know.

"Anyway, have you seen our captain?" He asked, pushing his glasses up further in pride at the strange girl's awe. The boys all stood a little straighter at her admiring look, arms folded and confident faces just as their captain had spent _days_ teaching them.

"You have a captain? Does that mean you're pirates too?" She asked excitedly. Maybe they could meet again on the sea!

"Yup, our captain Ussop is a great guy!" The carrot top boy boasted.

"Ussop's a pirate captain!" She gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. Oh no! There were _rules_ about peacefully meeting another crew's captain! Anna said it was _very important_ to make a good impression. She wasn't even sure Luffy _had_ any good clothes!

Great, just great! One of the most important parts about protecting your captain's honor had bought them food, and she couldn't even remember to comb his hair? What kind of cabin girl was she?

Unaware of the internal depredation going on in front of them, the trio plowed on. "Yeah, I like that he's really nosy!" Carrot top informed them.

"I like his cowardly instincts!" Pepper said in the same tone.

"I like his lies." Glasses broke in.

"Those don't sound like very good qualities." Nami noticed. Char shrugged, still stuck on the fact that she had failed something so simple. Was Ussop laughing at them now? Planning a huge assault? Anna said that feuds could be started from the tiniest of insults!

"So where is he?" Pepper asked, getting them all back on topic. Luffy chose that moment to let out a moan of pleasure as he patted his distended stomach.

"That was some good meat!" He grinned, meat chunks still stuck in his teeth. Char shuddered at that sight and made a note to get him a toothbrush.

"Y-You don't think?" Glasses shuddered, looking at his companions.

"He really wasn't all that bad." Zoro smirked evilly.

"N-No way!" Pepper gasped. "The captain-!" He stopped.

"If you're looking for Ussop," He paused. Char admired how a simple smirk could make him look so scary. "We ate him."

"AAAAHHH! Demon hag!" They screamed, comically directing their panic to Nami.

"Why are you looking at me!?" She demanded angrily. Char broke out in giggles, unable to contain her amusement. They actually thought they'd _eaten_ him! That was the best trick they'd played all day! It even beat when they were tricking Ussop into thinking they were really scary!

"Your captain's okay, he said he had somewhere to be and ran off though." Which really wasn't good manners. She wondered if he'd been offended that Luffy hadn't dressed up. Then again Ussop hadn't dressed very fancy either so maybe it was okay.

"Eh? Really?" Carrot sighed in relief. For a moment he'd been worried they would end up as dessert.

"He's probably at _that_ place." Glasses mentioned, pushing his glasses higher on his nose. The other two boys nodded in agreement. Char personally really hoped they'd elaborate on what _that_ place was. A secret clubhouse? Some super-secret ancient temple?

"He goes there every day to tell lies." Pepper smiled. Char understood the _effectiveness_ of lies, but she wasn't entirely sure why they were such a _good_ thing here. Lying wasn't something to be happy about, it wasn't really bad either but it wasn't supposed to be _positive!_ These guys were weird.

"That doesn't sound very nice." Nami mentioned, scooting over to make room for the kids.

"It is, it's different." Carrot defended vaguely. "Right?" He asked his friends. They nodded in answer, unaware that they were effectively locking the four pirates out of the loop.

"Yeah, it makes Kaya really happy." Pepper grinned, leaning back in the bench.

"Kaya?" Luffy repeated, tilting his head. He'd been lost for quite some time and since it seemed they three weird kids were _finally_ talking a little sense he decided to get back into the conversation.

"She's the heiress who lives in the mansion on the hill." Glasses explained. "Ever since her parents died she's been really sick."

"So captain goes over there every day to tell his lies to cheer her up!" Carrot top finished. Char blinked and tried to figure out why being lied to could cheer you up. Was this Kaya the Barbie girl in the giant doll house? So did that make her Ussop's girlfriend?

It sounded like one of the love stories her mama used to read to her at bedtime. The princess locked inside the ivory tower saved by the handsome pirate captain and taken away to a world of adventures! Ussop must be planning to take her out to sea with him!

"If she's feeling better then we can ask her for a ship!" Luffy declared, getting up to leave the table.

"You baka! You aren't the one who cheered her up!" Nami protested, pinching one elastic cheek between thumb and fore finger.

"But if she's happy it doesn't matter." Luffy tried to explain.

"You want to meet Kaya?" The boys gasped. "We'll take you there, come on!"

_They looked smaller from the restaurant._ Char noticed. Indeed, the hedges were at least three times her height. They reminded her of the walls of the marine base back at Shells Town. They were meant to keep the world at bay as much as prevent what it protected from escaping.

"How are we supposed to get over this?" Nami grumbled, resigned to following Luffy on another of his whims.

"Gomu gomu no…" Something told her Luffy already had an idea. "Excuse me for barging in!" He shouted as his arms wrapped around the entire group and he catapulted himself into the air. Char screamed as the ground vanished and began switching places with the sky. Earth and sky weren't meant to move like that, it was against the rules.

The three boys landed right on top of her, one right after another. She groaned and tried to ignore the way her half healed burns cried out at the unfair treatment. She made silent promises to numb Luffy's entire body for a whole day in revenge. She wasn't sure what having a rubber body did to one's pressure points but she'd be happy to find out!

"Get off!" She shouted at the slow boys. They all screamed and jumped off her. She huffed and brushed the dirt off her cloak. Great, now she really needed a bath. And her cloak needed to be washed. And she might never get the stains out of the white cabin girl outfit!

"Who are you people!" She returned to the present to look up at a girl hanging halfway out of her bedroom window. Her first thought? _Wow, it really does look like the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet!_ Ussop was sitting on a tree branch, jaw dropping. He was probably really impressed by their entrance. Although, it would've been even _better_ if no one had landed on her!

"Hi, are you Kaya?" Luffy grinned, waving at the window girl.

"What are you delinquents doing on this establishment?" She jumped at the unfamiliar voice and whirled around.

He reminded her of a black cat. He was wearing a black suit, and pushed his glasses up his nose with the palm of his hand, instead of the finger like Glasses did. The buttons on his suit made her want to smile but she schooled her expression into an emotionless mask. One hand casually drifted towards her trick bag. Nami was closest to him, so she was in the most danger. If she used the green flute she could make a bubble appear between them. It wasn't much of a shield but it would buy time for her to dig out the dog whistle.

"Klahadore!" Kaya gasped in surprise. Char jolted and shook her head. Had she _seriously_ been dissecting the best way to take this guy down? What was _wrong_ with her?

"Kaya-ojousama, you know I disapprove of you meeting such people." He scolded lightly. His tone of voice nearly had her opening her bag! Why was she on such a sensitive trigger all of a sudden? She hadn't done this with Ussop or the boys, so why now? What was different about this guy? Why did he set her on edge?

"Especially that Ussop." He sighed. "Honestly, what else can you expect from someone of the blood of _pirates_." Okay, the whip might catch him by surprise but she'd have to drop that fast and get in close. Disable his arms and-_and she was doing it __**again!**_

Inwardly she shook herself. If she started attacking random people she'd be a danger to everyone around her! Outwardly she kept her eyes firmly on kitty-man, watching every twitch of his frame. It sort of looked like he was restraining himself. She wished he'd move bad, do something, and just _give her an excuse to deck him!_

"Take that back!" She returned, once more, to reality as Ussop leapt from the branch and advanced on the butler. Inwardly she cheered him on, dipping her face so kitty-man wouldn't see the triumphant smirk in place on her features. "My father's a great man! I'm proud of my heritage!"

He was insulting Ussop's _heritage._ Her blood froze as Klahadore spelled out exactly why Yassop, a man she'd never met, was scum on the bottom of his shoe. Heritage wasn't something you could deride without consequence. Pirates normally came from a family of pirates, and in this day and age everyone had a brother-sister-uncle-aunt-grandparent-mom-dad-frie nd-neighbor who was a pirate or was friendly with one.

And to those descended from the Red Lady Line, heritage was revered. The things your ancestors did were _important._ It was _absolutely_, _one-hundred percent for sure_ against the rules to insult someone's heritage.

"I said shut up!" Ussop finally yelled. His punch landed with an almighty smack, throwing the butler down. Char's scandalized look became a grin, all tooth and fang, of satisfaction. He'd defended himself nicely in her books.


	7. Top Ten Rules

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 7: In Which the Top Ten are Named.

Zoro huffed in aggravation when they were kicked out by the butler. Ussop vanished, still upset about the things said about his old man, and Luffy followed after him. Now it was just Nami, Char, and himself along with the three stooges-to-be sitting by the fence.

He took a second look and realized one of the stooges, Onion he thinks the name is, has vanished too. He shrugs and doesn't think anything of it.

"Where did Luffy disappear to anyway?" Nami finally snaps. She obviously isn't one for waiting patiently. Her shrill voice was still taking some getting used to. He just couldn't properly fall asleep when she started like this.

"I think he went to that special place with the captain." Pepper answered.

He shifted his gaze to Char, watching her slip off the overly long cloak and fold it up, placing it reverently on the ground. Ever since her fight with Mohji-which he'd kept half an eye on since she _was_ still a kid-he'd been interested in her fighting style. He'd seen something similar once, but infinitely less graceful.

Char dove backwards, landing on fingertips and pointing her toes straight up to the heavens. A look of intense concentration crossed her face and he knew that he looked exactly the same when he was trying to do something tricky in training. She began walking closer to the fence before bending her arms and sending herself vaulting into the air.

A twist that brought out a long length of pink ribbon ended with herself standing on her right hand on the rail. The ribbon fluttered for a moment in the air, shimmering with an unnatural heat. His eyes narrowed as he watched her begin to spin in some crazed dance that had the ribbon being flung in ever widening circles. The air continued to shimmer where it had touched.

From what he understood, to make an illusion Char had to say the name before it could appear. And while highly convincing, there were small ways to tell the difference between reality and trick. With the giant top the clue had been the lack of destruction in its wake. He tried to find the clue that would reveal the heat radiating off the pink ribbon to be fake.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Char let out a yelp of surprise, losing her balance and concentration in one blow. She huffed in irritation and righted herself, feeling the pleasant dizziness that came with the blood rushing away from her head. Out of the distance came Glasses, yelling at the top of his lungs about a weird backwards man.

For a moment she was _pretty_ sure she'd heard wrong. How can there be a backwards man? Unless he meant a man who had put his clothes on backwards or something. Rosie used to do that in the mornings, coming down to breakfast with her bra on the outside even. Rosie really wasn't a morning person.

"Hey, I take offense to that! I'm not weird in the least!" Oh, he just _walked_ backwards. She still thought that was weird but she wasn't really one to talk. She had a habit of walking on her hands around her hometown after all, also cartwheeling through town, and _hopping_ through town.

She was a very active child and took training for her dream very seriously.

"I'm a travelling hypnotist!" He boasted, bringing out a ring on a string. Char's eyes narrowed as she noticed the thing on his chin. It sort of looked like a mushroom, but without the cap on it. She kept staring at it, completely ignoring the ring he began to swing until he started counting down. At which point, she grew bored, and flipped herself back onto her hands and facing away from the show.

"I guess he really was a hypnotist." Zoro muttered. She turned around to see what he meant. All three boys and even the hypnotist guy himself, who she decided to call Cap, were sprawled out in the road.

"That isn't a good place for a nap." She mentioned, poking one of the boys to see if he could be roused. No such luck, she was left to play on her own. Oh well, she still needed to rewind her ribbon and then she'd play with her bubble flute.

"Ne, Nami?" She started, turning to look up at the ginger leaning against the fence.

"Yeah Char?" Nami replied, studying the dirt under her fingernails.

"Do you want to play with me? Please?" She pleaded, getting up just so she could clasp her hands together and give her best puppy dog look.

Nami cringed at the big, doleful eyes staring up at her. She remembered using the same tricks as a child, she didn't appreciate the irony of having it turned on her. Though Char needed a good washing she dressed fairly well in that cabin girl uniform. Her black hair, brushing her shoulders and framing her face elegantly, needed a combing. She had dirty hands and some burns still in the stages of healing stuck out from the short sleeves and pant legs.

"One game." She conceded. Char whooped with joy, taking a quick second to cartwheel around the prone forms of boys and hypnotist to get closer to her.

"I want to play…!" She started loudly, before shooting a quick look at Zoro and hushing herself. "The draw on Zoro while he's sleeping game." She finished in a whisper, bringing several markers out of her trick bag.

Nami smirked and happily accepted a pink felt marker. Char giggled quietly as she began drawing on his arms first. Nami took his face, giving him a pink handle bar mustache and goatee. Char mostly drew little red hearts and purple bunnies. There was no way a guy could be scary when he had hearts and bunnies on his arm, though Nami was certainly giving it a try by writing 'Lazy Bum' on his forehead and giving him a unibrow.

She doesn't notice when Cap wakes up and leaves. She's just putting on the finishing touches when Ussop runs past, startling everyone. Luckily she was able to hide the markers behind her back before Zoro could see them. It takes self-control she wasn't sure she possessed not to laugh at the way the drawing stretch over his skin. The fact he doesn't notice is just strawberry icing on the vanilla cake.

"Hey, where's Luffy?" He asks, staring after where Ussop vanished. It's the direction of the village. She wonders what was so important that he couldn't stop to chat. Where did Cap go anyway?

"Maybe he's still by the coast." Carrot shrugged, nodding to where Ussop came from. Char frowns and starts off at a light jog to find her captain. Luffy might have said something mean and hurt Ussop's feelings. Maybe that's why he ran like that! She'd have to ask him what happened when she found him.

She hummed thoughtfully at the distinct lack of straw hat in her range of vision once she reached the cliffs. This place looked exactly the same as where they had docked, except that they had docked on the other side of the village. It was weird how the island had two identical coasts like this.

She walked over to the edge and looked down, intending to see if Luffy was playing down there or something. She gasped as she saw him, sticking out of the ground and utterly still. Her heart fluttered uncertainly and she felt the illusions she wielded fight their way to the surface, as though urging her to find whoever did this and do something _permanent_ to their person.

She took a deep breath and turned around to yell for the others to hurry up instead. They all vaulted down the trail and came to a stop by Luffy's prone body. Char brought her hands to her mouth and winced at the awkward position he was in. She couldn't tell if he was even breathing!

"Is he?" Nami gulped, unable to finish the question. Zoro raised a skeptical brow and innocently poked Luffy with the toe of his boot. Luffy wobbled for a minute before pitching out of his position, lying on his back and giving a few deep throated snores. Char heaved a silent sigh of relief.

"Baka! Wake up!" Nami snapped, thumping her fist down onto a rubbery skull.

"Itai!" He shouted, startled awake by the force of her blow. He clutched the new lump on his head and pouted for a second, trying to will away this wound. Memories of what he'd been doing before sleeping reasserted themselves in his mind and he gasped.

"What were you doing here sleeping?" Char asked him, hands on her hips. Usually it was Zoro who slept in funny places.

"That butler guy's a pirate! He's going to destroy the town and kill that Kaya girl!" Luffy informed them of the butler's plans. Apparently the man went by the name Kuro, and he intended to steal all of Kaya's fortunes. Char's brows knit together as the story was revealed. She _knew_ he was a rule breaker, but there were just some lines that you _did not cross._

"That must be why captain ran like that! He went to warn the town!" Pepper gasped. Char nodded. It was a good reason, and the faster they were warned the more they could save.

"We'd better get home! Our parents will be worried!" Glasses pointed out. They'd be needed to help carry things.

"Ah!" Luffy suddenly screamed. Char jumped at the volume he reached and automatically searched for the source of his sudden panic. There was nothing.

"The meat shop guy will leave! We have to get MEAT!" He cried, looking ready rocket himself up the cliffs and all the way to the village if he had to.

"You baka! Is meat all you can think about?" Nami scolded him. A pirate attack was going to occur and he was worried about his _stomach?_ She only wished she could believe it was out of maliciousness, rather than stupidity. It would make things so much easier.

"What else is there?" Luffy questioned, rubbing the _second_ lump on his head.

"Ah, captain! There you are!" Glasses grinned, seeing his captain stumble back down the trail. He must've been looking for them after warning the village.

"You're alive?" The long nosed boy gaped at the straw hat one.

"It takes more than a fall off a cliff to kill that one." Nami grumbled, tugging one of his cheeks to distort the shape.

"Wow, you're weird." He muttered before shaking his head. He then seemed to notice the interesting body art Zoro was sporting. Admittedly Char had sort of pushed the thought out of mind since he hadn't noticed right when he woke up. There had been more important things to worry about then.

"Pffftt!" He spluttered, obviously trying not to laugh in the face of such a scary man. He failed.

Luffy seemed to notice as well, and he had _far_ less inhibitions. His laughter echoed for miles as he pointed at Zoro, trying breathlessly to explain their sudden burst of hysterics.

"Char! Nami!" Zoro roared in anger, turning on the two females responsible. Char already had her hood up, so she was out of sight. A clone stood innocently beside Nami, trying to look as though she couldn't possibly have gotten hold of any markers.

"Captain, we'd better get back to the village to evacuate with the others!" Pepper said, giving a proud salute. Char frowned at that. Only marines were supposed to salute. Pirates said aye or cheered or something.

Ussop froze for a minute. She frowned as his entire body language shifted, becoming mocking and upbeat. It contrasted sharply with the blood dripping from a wound on his shoulder and the dirt covering his entire body. She didn't like it.

What followed was a falsehood. He claimed that he'd only been lying about the butler being a pirate to rile everyone up. It had just been a joke, tomorrow was going to be just a normal day like the day before and the day before that. She had to admit he lied pretty well. When he left out things like 80 million men and special titles his lies were _pretty_ believable.

But Luffy didn't lie, and he said there _would_ be an attack. When the chips were down she knew who she sided with. The only question left would be why was Ussop lying to them?

"Oh I see, it was just another lie." Carrot sighed. All the boys looked down hearted for some reason. She once more frowned at them. One would think that, knowing their captain best since they knew him longer, they could _tell_ when he wasn't lying! Besides, Luffy already said there'd be an attack! Were they stupid or something? And didn't they say earlier that they _liked_ his lies?

"I have to say, I'm losing respect for you captain." Pepper announced, leading his friends up the trail. Out of respect, Zoro waited until the kids were out of hearing before he spoke.

"Why did you lie to them?" Ussop seemed to lose the confident, mocking air he'd held before. His body sagged and he flopped down onto a flat rock to look out over the sea.

"…Everyone thinks tomorrow's going to be just another day." Char nodded, following so far. "I want that to be true, so…" He seemed to wrestle with himself for a moment. Char noticed that though his voice wavered with fear, his hands stood steady in his lap.

"I'll make this into one of my lies!" He declared, obviously decided.

"I love this village, and everyone in it." He continued, softer now. "Even if they call me a liar and shoot me, I want to protect everyone here!"

"Even though I'm scared, I'm going to fight those pirates!"

_Line Break~ Line Break~ Line Break~ Line Break~ Line Break~ Line Break~ Line Break~ Line Break~ Line Break~_

"We'll help you!" Luffy had declared. Char grinned and habitually checked her bag of tricks. She still wasn't confident with the fire lash, but there were a few things she _could_ do.

"Now everyone," Ussop cleared his throat. "What are your strengths?"

"I stretch."

"I cut."

"I steal."

"I trick."

"I _hide._"

"**You'd better fight!"** Everyone yelled in his face. Char huffed and listened with only half an ear as they went over the plan. An oil slick to keep the pirates from climbing up, and then pick them off one by one. Easy, simple enough that even Luffy could keep up. He was rather impressed actually.

Char took a seat and brought out a marble and Anna's diary. It was going to be a long night, she might as well get comfortable with a good book before settling in to sleep.

_Rule Ten, of the Great Commandments: There is no refuting Finders Keepers. _

_Side Note: Always put money in separate places on the body to avoid everything being stolen by one pick pocket._

_Rule Nine, of the Great Commandments: Never play fair with marines, the World Government cannot be trusted._

_Rule Eight, of the Great Commandments: Always follow the Captain's Orders._

_Amendment of Rule Eight: Unless YOU are captain, then you must always seek the safety of your loyal crew._

_Rule Seven, of the Great Commandments: A Davy Back Fight is final, rematches are allowed however they are not Encouraged._

She'd always wondered what a Davy Back Fight was like, but she never really wanted to play in one. Especially now, when she had such an awesome crew! What if she lost and got forced onto the other ship? Or lost a friend?

_Rule Six, of the Great Commandments: The Jolly Roger is a symbol of the entire crew's honor, it must never be allowed to fall in enemy hands._

Which reminded her that they needed a flag. They were still starting out though, gathering crew members. Once they got a proper ship they wouldn't be able to put it off anymore. She wondered what their symbol would look like.

_Rule Five, of the Higher Orders: Defend the Captain's Honor, for it is your own._

_Rule Four, of the Higher Orders: Play to the best of your ability, never hold back in this Ultimate Game._

_Rule Three, of the Higher Orders: Stand at your allies' side, as unwavering as the earth, with a loyalty that spans all the seas._

_Rule Two, of the Higher Orders: Never insult the heritage of a man or woman, for yours is the Red Lady Line, descended from the very first woman pirate. Never disgrace this blood._

Char yawned and squinted her eyes at the dark letters. She scowled and eyed the marble she had transformed into a mini sun to provide light. She was tired so her concentration wasn't where it should be. Reading the rules was a good way to calm herself down before a big fight, especially the top ten.

"Char, put the book away." Nami ordered softly. "You need to get some sleep, we'll wake you when its time." Char nodded, reluctantly putting everything away and digging out her stuffed cat to snuggle with. She claimed Zoro's lap for her pillow and wrapped her cloak around her, trying to pretend it was her mother who had read Anna's diary to her, or told her stories of her adventures in the South Blue.

Her family had travelled to every sea this world had to offer. They never revealed the best of what they'd done or discovered, leaving it to their descendants to find in the future. Char couldn't wait for the day when she would hold a son or daughter of her own and tell them about the adventures she had with the second Pirate King.

And she knew she _would_ tell those as-yet-unwritten stories.

_Because rule number one was to _always_ find your way home again._


	8. The Rules of Combat are Exercised

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 8: In Which the Rules of Combat are Exercised.

Zoro shook Char awake a few minutes before day break. She grumbled at the early hour but casually put away her toy and began some warm up stretches. He turned away to look out over the water, trying to get that first glimpse of the enemy. This fight promised to be challenging and he was itching to grow ever stronger.

"I'm impressed Ussop, your plan's really sneaky!" Luffy praised the sharp shooter again. The oil had been laid down and Ussop had plenty of ammo to work with when the time came.

"Ah, thanks!" Ussop grinned bashfully, scratching the back of his head. He wasn't used to such praise.

Char finished her stretches and brought out the stress ball she used for Rolling Trap. It was perfect for the ramp like trail they were working with. When the pirates began working their way over the oil she'd roll it down to scare them!

"Where are they? Did they get lost or something?" She yawned. There were no signs of sails on the horizon, no whispers of wood over waves as they approached shore.

"I don't know." Ussop shrugged. He was still uncomfortable with the thought of a little kid fighting, but since she had made a tiny sun appear and could apparently turn invisible he figured she was safer than he was.

Nami twitched as sounds came to her over the breeze. Something she had noted about this island was it's strange symmetry. It had two perfectly identical coasts. The southern and the northern. And they had docked their tiny boats, along with her treasure, at the northern one.

"They didn't come here!" She gasped. The meeting had been held here but the attack was coming from the _north_ slope!

"What?" Ussop protested. "But the meeting was here!"

Char watched in stunned silence as Ussop directed Luffy and Zoro northward, which resulted in a string of unfortunate events. Mostly that Luffy used his gum rocket, and ended up knocking Nami down the slope, past the oil spill so she couldn't climb up on her own. Ussop had also ran off, but Zoro had moved automatically to help Nami up, so she decided to wait for them.

She wasn't entirely certain she wouldn't get lost if she tried to go on her own. She didn't have a compass and that was a _lot_ of forest.

"Thanks Zoro!" Nami cried as she used the swordsman to get herself free, callously pushing him down to her previous position.

"You witch! Get back here!" Zoro shouted back at her. Char blinked and shook her head at the small dust trail left in the orange haired woman's wake. They were crewmates, they should help each other! Besides, Zoro had been trying to help, it wasn't fair that Nami didn't do the same.

"Here, grab this!" She directed, tossing him one end of her whip. The other end she twirled around the trunk of sturdy tree, using it as a pulley. The oil slick actually helped here because it didn't make any friction. Zoro was really heavy, she wouldn't be able to do this otherwise!

"Ah, thanks." He said, watching her wind the weapon back up and hang it from her bag, in easy reach. They both took off, him being mindful of her shorter legs.

After a few minutes of running, it was clear that neither of them knew which way north was. The point of travelling with adults was that _they_ could make the decisions. Obviously that couldn't work when they didn't know any more than she did. So when Zoro tried going left, she tugged him right instead.

When they arrive at the slope just in time to shove the stupid pirates back down, with Luffy, she _politely_ decides not to gloat. Instead she cackles madly and pulls up her hood, listening to the sounds of her captain and crewmate as they derided Ussop and Nami for not saying which way north was and trapping them at the bottom of an oil slick respectively.

_Oh, wow, they're ship is big._ It really was, and it didn't have a convenient ladder either, which stunk a little. She heaved a (quiet) sigh and began climbing the anchor rope instead. Once on board she turned around, checking on her crew and her hood to be sure she hadn't been exposed during the climb. _I'd probably know by now if they'd seen me though. They probably would've shot at me or something, and yelled a lot._ That seemed to be the normal reaction to when she got sneaky.

The giant figurehead was creepy. She almost swore the cat's eyes followed her, even invisible, as she made her way to the doors below deck. She softened her footsteps then, trying to imagine the planks she walked on were really clouds, and thus utterly soundless.

She met a couple of guys in the hallway right off, they stood like they were waiting around for something. They were probably back up. One had green hair and the other looked like he had _fangs_ and seriously in need of a diet. She scooted past them, not daring to breathe in case they heard her. Sneaking back past them to the door would get tricky with what she was hoping to take with her, but she figured it would be worth it.

Finding the treasure was harder than she thought it would be. There should have been some labels on the doors or something. What if they got a new crewmate who didn't know his way around? He'd get lost and never find the bathroom or anything!

Which, she realized, she kind of wanted to find for herself. She bounced a bit on the spot and judged the long row of doors on either side of the hall. If there were more people down here than the doors opening and closing on their own would definitely be suspicious. Just because she was invisible didn't mean she could suddenly walk through walls. No matter how _cool_ that would be.

_So then, am I going the _lost child_ route or the _haunted ship_ method?_ She snickered under her breath and lowered the hood of her cloak. Coming back into view she casually waltzed up to a door and opened it, looking around for a split second to find neither goal inside. She must've been getting closer though, she'd left the dorms and found the storage area. Unfortunately that meant the bathroom was probably further away, darn.

"Hey kid, what are you doing down here?" She eeped and whirled around, eyes watering and sniffling a little. She shivered and wrapped her cloak closer around her and gazed up at the pirate approaching her with the most innocent eyes she could manage.

"I-I was t-trying to find the-the bathroom!" She hiccupped, bringing a hand up to wipe at watering eyes.

"Uh, H-Hey now! Don't cry!" The pirate shushed her. He wasn't sure how a kid even got on board but he'd always hated attacking kids and it wasn't like she could do any harm.

Char hummed happily as he escorted her to a bathroom. It was on the same level they were on, and judging from the sudden inclusion of _locks_ on the doors, she guessed the treasure was on this level too. The pirate shut the door behind her and she inspected the bathroom. It had a toilet, and some ship scrub style showers, no curtains. She hoped their ship didn't have scrubs like that, she liked baths.

After finishing up she drew out a hand puppet from her trick bag and carefully flushed, letting the pirate outside know she was done.

"What were you doing on the ship anyway?" He asked as he opened the door again. For a split second his jaw could only bounce of the floor. Where before there'd been a (relatively) normal little girl there was now a hideously giant cat, looking at him like he was a fish on dry land.

"AAAAAAHH! This ship is haunted!" Char canceled the Night's Illusion: Unlucky Feline and knocked her hood down again. Okay, so she'd gone both routes. She figured she was entitled to a little fun and since he was the only one she'd encountered on these levels that meant that there shouldn't be anyone else.

A few lock picks, it wasn't as hard as the cage Luffy was in but that lock had been a lot bigger than her picks, and she was inside.

They didn't have a ton of treasure or anything, but she figured it had to make up for what Luffy had left back at the town they met Buggy at. So she bundled up as much as she could, threw up her hood, and began dragging it up the many flights of stairs.

Outside the sound of fighting had grown, and worse yet was when the entire ship surged for a minute. She lost her footing and dropped the bag to brace herself. Sunlight appeared through cracks in the walls and she heard the ear splitting tearing of wood ripped from its post. Whatever was happening outside was big. She hoped the others were okay.

She paused again as she reached where the two guards had been earlier. They had left their post and she wondered if they had found out she'd been there from the Screamer, which was her name for the pirate she had tricked. She checked that her hood was as secure as it was going to get and that the illusion spread to the bag she was holding, then walked past the door.

They were fighting Zoro, and apparently very badly from what she could tell. They looked pretty scared, which, she figured, was totally normal. Zoro was scary when he was fighting serious, but he wasn't being very serious now. Actually he looked a little insulted that they were forcing two obviously scared guys to fight him.

She thought that, up until they stole two of his swords. She growled and began heaving the bag onto the rail. The people below would be in for a rude awakening when a bag filled with heavy gold stuff fell on their heads but she wasn't in the mood to be charitable. She'd trap the rest in an illusion and then climb back up to Nami and the others.

She wanted to interfere in Zoro's fight, and she knew that was wrong. It was _his_ game, and she couldn't play it for him. She took a deep breath and let it out, pretending that everything was fine and they were all going to eat at that good restaurant again when this was over and they'd get a ship from the Barbie girl and then sail for the Grand Line. Zoro would be fine, he still needed to make his dream come true after all!

She had to tell herself that. It was the only thing keeping her from unleashing the devil of illusions on them. She gritted her teeth and used the coiled rope on the deck to slowly, and quietly, lower the treasure to the ground. Once it hit down behind some very inattentive pirates, she tied it off and lowered herself.

Picking the bag up again turned it invisible along with her, from there she weaved between people and made her way to the safe zone. That being the stretch of ground where Nami and Ussop were currently trying to interfere with Zoro's fight.

…_Jo did say other people didn't have rule books._ Ussop, captain of his own crew or not, clearly needed to learn a few rules of engagement. One was to never, ever, interfere in someone else's game. _But I'm seriously going to hide their stuff for that!_ If they didn't have rules she'd just have to _teach _them. Her mama always said it was important to follow rules and be polite!

Unless those rules were made by the World Government, in which case bending and sometimes breaking them was in order. Unless you were a boy, then you had to behave for the marines while lying all the time about who your sisters and mothers are and stuff. She was _very_ glad she wasn't a boy. It would've been so _boring._

Nami did a smart thing by sneaking past to get the swords. Char would've done it herself but she was still trying to get past the pirates without touching any of them. That didn't mean much when she saw Cap start to throw his ring at her.

And maybe if it was a normal metal or wooden ring, she could've let Nami handle it without blowing her cover. The ring was a blade though, and she pushed aside the pirates in her way, throwing the heavy bag as hard as she could.

Stunned silence followed as a bag appeared in midair, blocking the ring. It cut through the fabric and familiar riches pooled out onto the sand. The wind grew in strength long enough for Char's hood to be blown back and she too reappeared. Well, so much for being sneaky. Maybe she still had some hope for the haunted thing?

"Oopsie." She giggled, scratching the back of her head. When in doubt, play pretend. It didn't always work but it certainly provided a nice buffer between her fear and current events.

"What in the name of Poseidon is going on here!?" Oh great, now the _butler_ was here? She should've known any day where she had to get up at sunrise was going to be a bad one!

"Captain Kuro!" Cap gasped. Wait, now the _butler_ is a captain? Hmm, and a captain on the enemy side apparently. Awesome, then she didn't have to feel bad that she thought of five different attacks to use on him!...Where was Luffy anyway? He was the one who had to fight the evil captain butler man.

"I ordered the attack to commence at dawn, why are all of you still on the beach?" Butler Kuro questioned them severely.

"W-Well, you said letting that long nosed kid live wouldn't affect the plan." Cap pointed out. Char casually began gathering up her scattered gold since everyone seemed busy.

"You're right, it shouldn't have." Kuro acknowledged. "What I didn't count on was this crew growing so weak that a handful of children could stop them!"

"Um, well," Cap started. He was interrupted by the guard cats from earlier.

"What right do you have to talk about us like that?" The green haired one asked. "While you've been growing lazy in a rich guy's mansion as a butler _we've _been fighting the marines and sinking ships!"

"Buchi, let's let the cat out of the bag!" He said, turning to his fat companion. "Together we'll take down the former captain Kuro!"

Char blinked, stunned by this sudden mutiny. They charged together, completely bypassing Zoro on their way to the top of the slope. By now she had gathered up the gold again, and she carefully bundled it up, tying the torn parts together to keep it from spilling out of the bag again.

"No, don't do it you fools!" Cap tried to warn them. Char found herself nodding in agreement. Mutiny was a serious offense. If you didn't like your captain you humbly requested to be allowed to jump ship, you shouldn't turn on them. Captains were always the strongest on the crew.

"Die!" Greenie ordered, drawing his arm back to deliver a blow.

And then Kuro vanished, eerily similar to her ability with her cloak, reappearing while wearing strange claws with long blades. He held his weapons to their throats, halting their attack. The tension in the air could've been cut by a rusty dagger for all she cared. Char found her hand reaching for her hood, all battle plans forgotten in the showcase of such impressive skill. If he wanted her dead, she would never see him coming.

"Remind me again, which of us is weak?" He smirked, the cat who'd eaten the canary. Cap bowed his head, giving a resigned sigh at the idiocy of the crew he had led for three years.

"I knew that he was no less a threat then he had ever been," He confessed. "I knew it the moment I saw him push his glasses up with the palm of his hands. The same way he did it to avoid scratching himself with his Cat Claws."

"The technique so powerful that a squad of 50 assassins couldn't take him down," He paused. "The Nuki Ashi technique."


	9. Rules are Bent

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

A/N: Who do I ask for fanarts? Or do people just volunteer for those? Hmm…I'm totally clueless.

Chapter 9: In Which Rules are Bent.

"Five minutes," Kuro stated, stretching his fingers just slightly, enough to cause the barest of scratches on the bare necks of the men he held at his mercy. "If you haven't killed them all in that time, then I'll kill _you._"

"Sham, Buchi, hurry up and kill that swordsman!" Jango ordered. Kuro let the two he was holding go free while the countdown commenced in his mind.

Nami saw the opportunity for what it was and again raced for the swords. Thankfully Char had blocked the attack, so she was able to get to them fast.

"Zoro, heads up!" She shouted, rearing back and delivering a firm kick to the two sheathed blades.

"Oi, don't _kick_ them!" Zoro cursed, grabbing them as they fell to the ground. He whipped the sheaths off, practiced eyes inspecting them for damage. "Thanks for returning them." He bit out. He turned back towards the dishonorable men charging him.

"Tiger Trap." Later, Char's pretty sure she has no idea what happened but she absolutely will refuse to ask Zoro. One second they were charging forward with claws outstretched, the next they're collapsing in pain with blood gushing from new wounds.

"Hey kid, is that _our_ treasure you're sneaking off with?" The ten year old blinks and looks up at a group of kitty pirates.

"No, it's mine." She corrects him. "I stole it, so now it's mine." Somehow she doubted singing finders keepers would come off well here.

"Night's Illusion: Living Shadows!" She chanted softly, feeling the familiar energy drain as copies of herself came to life, hiding her from view and confusing the pirates as to their true target. She swept up her hood and dodged any grabs that came too close until she finally reached Ussop.

Cap had hypnotized the fat cat. His fat turned into muscle and he charged mindlessly back into his fight with Zoro. She bit her lip, determined not to do anything so wimpy as to cry. She hadn't been this upset with the clowns!

_Except clowns aren't really that intimidating._ And to be honest, Sham and Buchi weren't that scary either. But she hadn't watched Zoro's fight with Cabaji.

She was decidedly unused to watching friends fight and get hurt. It was something she'd have to grow accustomed to as time passed. Either that or find some way that she'd never have to watch again. It didn't help that the stupid Butler was still counting down the minutes to break the ultimate rule.

_How could anyone betray their nakama?_ It went against everything she had ever known. Family was sacred, you stood by family, even when the world turned their backs on them. And for her, it was a practiced tradition. The World Government to this day hunted the descendants of the Red Lady Line.

"Nami!" Came a furious, though strangely not enraged, voice. Char smirked and felt like having a good chuckle at someone's expense. Looks like Luffy was back from la-la land.

"Don't wake people up by stepping on them!" The straw hat boy berated his navigator. Imperceptivity he scanned the battle field, he didn't remember the fight being over when he fell asleep. Zoro was fighting a cat man, the butler was standing at the top of the slope with weird gloves, Ussop was in the same place as before, and Char was surrounded by pirates.

Strike that, Char had the pirates right where she wanted them, in arm's reach. A small flurry of punches and a few well-placed kicks and they all collapsed on the ground, leaving her free to drag her bulging bag over to their boats.

"Hey, Luffy," He looked quizzically at his navigator. "Can you fight for the village and my treasure?" He smiled at her.

"Sure."

"Time's _up!_" Everyone turned away from their personal fights to face Kuro. He grimaced and lifted his hands, suppressing the urge to form them into fists. "Everyone dies!"

"Klahadore, stop this madness!" Char felt her jaw drop faster than the pirates she had taken out. It was Barbie-chan! Wearing a trench coat and night gown, but not much else. She had come up behind him and was now begging him, when Char suddenly came to a realization. The butler's name was _Klahadore?_

"What are you doing here Kaya?" Ussop demanded, watching in fear as the evil captain lifted his claws. There was only a split second to shove the heiress out of the way, then pain blossomed on his arm. He cried out sharply in pain, landing between Kaya and Kuro as a living shield.

"Ussop, I'm sorry. I never wanted you to be hurt, especially not while protecting me." Kaya whispered to him, regret filming over her voice. With a spirit _so much_ stronger than her body, she turned on her butler.

"Klahadore, stop this!" She ordered sternly. "You can have my fortune, take everything if you must! I'll give it to you!" She declared, trying to reason with him. No one else should be hurt on her account.

"…You don't seem to understand." Kuro smirked. He was the cat stalking the fish in the tank, knowing there was nowhere for them to hide. "What I want more than you fortune, is peace." He added after a pause.

"Free from the marines constantly harassing my movements." He stopped for a moment, looking directly at Char. Her silver eyes met his, steady. "As I'm sure the Red Lady Line would love to be free."

"Despite your plea Kaya, the Black Cat pirates _will_ attack this village today," He paused once more for sweet satisfaction. "And kill you."

"I'm not going to let you do that." She sounded decided. She climbed to her feet and surprised him for the second time that day. She pulled out a gun, and she aimed it at him.

Char grit her teeth as she listened to every sickly sweet word drip from his lips. Every word made Barbie shake harder, made the gun inch lower until it pointed at the dirt. Now the butler laughed in her face. What right did he have to mock someone like that? He ruffled her feathers in the _worst_ way.

"I can't tell you how _insulting_ it was, being ordered around be a spoiled little girl! A true wound to my pride as a pirate." Wait, pride as a pirate? He gave up his name, he wasn't _allowed_ to have any pride as a pirate left. She wished he would make up his mind over whether or not he wanted to be a pirate. She was getting a migraine trying to follow his train of thought.

"That's enough out of you!" Ussop roars. He snatches the gun from Kaya's unresisting hands and brings it to level on this man. His hands don't shake, despite the fact he feels as though the very ground rolls under his feet. His finger brushes the trigger and just when he thinks it's almost over, they've almost won, Kuro disappears.

"That's right, I haven't repaid you for that punch yesterday." He stiffened as the voice reached his ears. Long, slender knives caress the thin skin of his throat, ready to draw blood. "I hate being punched."

"Gomu Gomu no _Pistol_!" Everyone stared in shock as a rubbery fist plowed into Kuro's head. He went flying straight into the cliff side, cracking the stone surface. Furiously he searched for the source of the attack. The straw hat boy seized him up with eyes like black holes, they drew everything in, not allowing him to hide a single falsehood.

"If you don't like being punched I guess you're going to have a bad day." The boy comments, rolling his shoulder as though to savor the feeling of contact between fist and cheek.

Char found herself grinning at the dramatic display. It belonged on the big screen, with popcorn and sugary drinks. This was everything she'd always wanted. New games for the playing, evil doers for the slaying, and a princess to save on top of it all, all the ingredients for an awesome story. She wanted to take a picture so she would always remember this moment.

Until the three Ussop Pirates showed up and began battering Kuro with a pan, a bat, and a large book. Ussop and Kaya immediately team up to try and drag the kids off of him. Char feels like slamming the palm of her hand into her face at the sheer stupidity of it all. They should've at least used something pointy. _The plan was good but they didn't have the right _equipment.

"Why did you lie to us, Captain?" Pepper demanded of Ussop. She frowned at that too. You weren't supposed to question your captain's orders, you were meant to trust that he had your best interests at heart.

"That doesn't matter!" Ussop screamed at them, trying to direct them away from the enraged captain. "Listen, you have to run away right now!"

"No way!" Glasses protested. "Yeah, that'd ruin the Ussop Pirates reputation!" Carrot added.

Kuro stood to a round of terrified screams. Char bit her lip as he exchanged words with Luffy. Once again she had to wonder why people couldn't just _tell_ he had a devil fruit. Wasn't it obvious in the way he survived things others wouldn't and stretched his limbs?

"Jango," He raised his voice, startling her out of her musings. "Take care of Kaya and the brats, I'll deal with straw hat."

"Yes captain!" Cap nodded, drawing out his pendulum again. Zoro tries to block his way but Buchi isn't done yet, and draws him off for another round. Ussop bites his lip and knows help isn't coming from that direction. There's really only one other option.

"Ussop pirates!" He starts, voice firm and hard. "Quickly, take Kaya into the forest! Hide her! This is why we became pirates in the first place! To protect the things we love!" Kaya mouths his name, tears slowly drip down her cheeks but she's never felt safer than when three children lead her away from a crew led by a madman.

Char watches the events that follow, watches Jango run off after his prey and Zoro finish off his opponent and Luffy and Kuro prepare to deck it out. She only comes out of her trance when she realizes the pirate mooks around her are preparing to attack. She growls and turns to them, the only one between them and the slope.

"They want out." She mumbles. Illusions itch under her skin, and she knows her shadow's begun to ripple, as though she stood atop a still lake. She smirks and _imagines_ the men hesitate in their charge.

Who is this child to stand before them? A stray breeze curls her cloak around her and black hair swirls up to create an image of a whirlwind. She lifts a flute to her mouth and begins to play. She vanishes, _everything_ vanishes in a blinding light. When it fades they are trapped, bottled up in a bubble.

"Day's Illusion: Gilded Cage!" She laughs. The majority of the men are trapped in her bubble, the only thing left to do is take out the left overs. She slings her whip and starts her own charge, cape flying out in the wind. Time to play.

"I DON'T CARE HOW WEAK I AM! I'LL STILL PROTECT THIS VILLAGE!" Ussop suddenly roars. He's bleeding all over and his nose looks crooked. Char's fury grows as they start to laugh at his weakness.

"**Hell's Illusion: Devil's Vine!"** She chants, noting the echo quality that makes her sound older than she truly is. The pirates start to cry in fear as dark vines rip from the grounds and wrap them up, tangling them further the more they struggle. "If you want to laugh at someone's weakness then maybe you should look in a mirror, baka." She spits at them. They wisely decide not to further anger this devil's child.

"If you didn't want a reputation you shouldn't have become a pirate captain!" Luffy scolds so suddenly that she is forced to turn her attention back to his fight. He's broken most of the claws on Kuro's gloves.

"My ambition, is far greater than yours!" He swears.

When Kuro reveals that he always intended to kill his old crew to tie up any loose ends, Char isn't surprised. She's _pretty_ sure nothing else that man does can surprise her anymore. It isn't until he's somehow popped her bubble and killed at least five of his own men that she realizes she was wrong. By then, she falls to the ground too. It's hard to stay standing with a huge gash in your side and arms.

"Char!" Nami screams, watching the little girl fall. Luffy holds of Kuro while she runs down, ignoring the rock shrapnel and blood on the ground. She falls to her knees in front of the girl and wishes it were _her_ giving Kuro the beating of his lifetime. Pirates always did this, hurting innocent people and kids who only wanted to help!

Char moans and tries not to start screaming. Nami can't waste time being gentle as she tears her clothes for bandages. She doesn't touch the cloak, even though that's plenty of fabric there. Nami doesn't understand how someone's treasure can be anything but gold or jewels or berris, but she doesn't _have_ to understand it. Char loves that cloak, like Luffy loves that straw hat, and Zoro his white sword.

She bandages the worst of the wounds and then steals the shirt off a pirate's back to cover the child up. Char's smile is watery, but at least she isn't dead like the five men who fell with her. It hurts more than anything she's ever done before.

Nami bites her lip and anxiously watches, cheering Luffy on to finish this bastard. He deserves to be kicked all across the Grand Line and back. No one this cruel deserves to live.

When everything's said and done though, she realizes it's not even lunch time. The Black Cat pirates have run off on their ship, taking their treacherous captain with them. Kaya and the three boys are fine, and Char's and Ussop's injuries aren't too serious. She quietly sighs in relief and puts the gold Char found next to her pile. Five thousand berris.

"Hey Char, are you alright?" Zoro asks as they sit down to eat. Luffy's already working through the restaurant's supply of meat for the month. Ussop chose to keep the events of the day a secret and hadn't followed them into town. True to his words last night everyone thought today was just another day.

"Yeah, Kuro just scratched me is all." She reassures him. The black shirt she's wearing fits like a dress, reaching to her knees. She doesn't have to worry about the wound, Merry (Another of Barbie-chan's butlers but nice) had tended to it and gave her real bandages. The only real loss is that of her cabin girl outfit. She really_ liked_ it!

"With the tides on this island we can leave this afternoon, around seven." Nami informed them. Char grinned and then excused herself, plate wiped clean. She wasn't sure when they'd next stop at an island where they weren't being chased, so she wanted to write another letter to her daddy.

_Dear Daddy,_

_Hi again! We've had _two_ big fights against other pirates since my last letter! I got kind of hurt today, but don't worry. It _really_ doesn't hurt that much! We saved a rich girl who lives in a house just like Rosie's Barbie doll house! Her name's Kaya. There's also this boy named Ussop, he's a pirate captain but he's nice, unlike those guys we fought. He was the one who asked us to help defend this place, it was really fun! Until I got hurt._

_I played around a bit and stole some treasure for our nav-i-gator Nami. I didn't tell you about her yet, did I? She has orange hair, and she doesn't really like pirates that much. She really likes treasure though and since Luffy lost her treasure when we were fighting Buggy the Clown I figured I'd get her some new treasure to make up for it. _

_I wish you could write back but we don't have an address or anything yet. We still don't have a proper boat. We set sail later today though, so I wanted to write this up really fast. I'm sitting on the slope, making sure the Black Cat pirates we beat up earlier aren't coming back. I'll write again next time we stop at a cool island that doesn't chase us off! I love you so much!_

_The Game has more players now._

_Signed, your baby girl,_

_Char_


	10. Some Rules are Ignored

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 10: In Which Some Rules are Ignored.

"Would you guys come down to the shore for a minute? I have a surprise for you!" A young woman, probably in her early twenties, walked through the village. She stood out for the sole reason that visitors rarely came to this island, but aside from a few curious glances everyone seemed content to allow the tourist from the big city to explore their small town.

If anyone made a connection between the cloak she carried in her arm and the cloak a small girl wore, they never mentioned it. Char walked into a general store, careful to keep the arm holding her cloak close to her body to brace her wound. She only needed a few things and then to drop the letter in the mail box, after that she'd catch up to the others.

"Hello Miss, can I help you?" The shop keeper greeted her.

"Thank you but I think I have it covered. I only came in for a few things." She turned him down, moving down the aisles to the toy section. A kid needed to indulge herself every once in a while after all! She grinned and picked out a teddy bear wearing gentleman's clothes. It was small enough to rest in her open hand under the illusion.

"Something to take home to the kids?" The shop owner asked conversationally.

"Maa, well I promised to bring her something if she was good while I was gone." She lied easily. After paying she asked for directions to the post office. It was on the way back to the beach so she resolved to meet the others there.

"Oh wow, what a cool ship." She murmured, not noticing or uncaring of the stunned looks coming her way.

"Char!?" Nami gasped. The young woman turned to Nami and blinked.

"Hi Nami! I bought a toy!" She grinned, showing off her new bear. It was adorable. She was going to name him Mister Stuffikins. That was his name.

"Why are you an adult?" Nami asked. She walked up and made to inspect the former child in front of her. Char blinked again and realized the problem. She laughed and thumped herself in the forehead. She had completely forgotten!

"Sorry, I forgot the illusion was still up." She apologized, now her normal self again.

"Char, Char! Look at our new ship! Kaya's giving us the Going Merry!" Luffy shouted over to her, gesturing at the caravel. Char admired it and nodded in agreement to his detailed explanation of how _awesome_ and _cool-looking_ it was. "It has a special seat! That's mine!" He added, pointing at the ram's head.

"Okay, but that means the mast is mine to play on!" She negotiated. Luffy agreed after a moment but both agreed the other could play on their special spots so long as they got permission. It was a very good system.

Char climbed on board and let the adults continue to talk. She wanted to explore the ship some more. They had a proper ship now! She wished she hadn't already mailed that letter; she'd have liked her dad not to have to worry about her sailing on a little dinghy anymore. Oh well, she'd just have to wait for the next island.

She grinned and climbed the ropes hanging down from the mast to get to the crow's nest. From there she surveyed the land, she felt she could see the entire island from her vantage point. She felt her cheeks start to get sore from smiling so much so she decided to pretend she was on lookout for enemy pirates.

Which is how she was able to see the giant green, rolling thing coming straight down the slope on a direct collision course with their ship. She cried out a quick warning to Luffy and Zoro then settled in to watch with Mister Stuffikins. Simultaneously both boys lifted a leg to stop the object from colliding with their brand new ship. Then she realized it was Ussop, attached to a giant green backpack.

Nami shook her head at the antics of those possessing the Y chromosome and clambered onto the ship. Char was watching the events below with her new teddy bear, seemed to be talking to it actually. She was recovering nicely from the wounds, though that was likely do to the pain killers the nice butler had given her. Nami made a mental note in order to remember to give Char her medicine.

"Hey Char, leave the boys alone and let's go look at our new room!" She called up to the child. The ten year old grinned and immediately began to swing down, landing on the deck with a solid thump and following her down below.

"Maa, it's really gorgeous, isn't it?" She sighed, stretching out her arms. She began organizing her treasure into the chest she had moved in. The most high quality treasure would go here, the rest she'd put into the storage room.

"There's no bed." Char pointed out. Nami chuckled, half surprised by the sound, and walked over to the hammock storage. She pulled on a rope and it opened, the hammock fell out ready to be slept in.

"Wow!" The child gasped, jumping onto it enough that it swung for a few seconds. She hadn't slept in a hammock since she got on that first ship to Shells Town! That felt like forever ago! "Hey Nami, are there other secret compartments like this?" She asked curiously.

Nami answered the questions she could, finished with her treasure and now storing her surveying tools next to the desk. Even though logically she knew she had to return to Kokoyashi—if only because the amount of treasure she had was inconvenient to carry around—she somehow got the impression she'd be doing a lot of mapping in this room.

Char set up some of her toys into her hammock. Mister Stuffikins and Kitty, for instance, took pride of place beside her pillow. While digging out her stuffed cat her hand caught onto her book, making it fall from her trick bag onto the floor.

"What is that anyway? A good book?" Nami asked as she casually picked it up and inspected it for damage. This diary was old but it wasn't the original. No one knew what happened to the original actually. Char considered it something of a mystery.

"A diary. It has rules in it." She answered, showing the plain brown cover. This book was probably the third or fourth copy of the original.

When they set sail ten minutes later, it was with a new nakama. Ussop had given up his captainship to join under Luffy. She guessed asking Kaya to come along too would've been too much, especially as Barbie-chan was still recovering. Still, at least now she had another new friend.

That night she slept comfortably in her gently swinging hammock, clutching her toys close to heart. Sadly with her body better rested her mind felt no need to hold back tonight. She shivered under her cloak, and though the sound of gentle snoring reached her ears it did not penetrate her dreams.

_Rosie hefted her bag when she saw the men she'd paid to let her on board start moving towards the docks. Char watched from her hiding place behind some crates. Rosie had snuck out in the middle of the night, evidently planning to leave the island a full day earlier than planned. Char didn't really understand her second biggest sister. _

_Rosie held no interest in any pirate like activities, in fact she seemed to train only when Jo ordered her to. With Jo gone for over a year now her presence on the training field had dwindled to almost nothing. Rosie was beautiful at seventeen, with full lips and watery blue eyes that provoked protective feelings among her siblings. Even now she'd had a long string of boyfriends who she would always discard after a month or so of dating._

_Char didn't understand why Rosie didn't want to be a pirate, but there was no denying that she _did not_ want to be a pirate. Rosie was friendly with the marines that visited the island, genuinely rather than playfully. She ignored the important rules written by their ancestress _years_ before their time! _

"_Hey precious-chan, planning on coming out to say good bye?" Rosie spoke to the open air. Char sighed and left her hiding place, darting forward to hug her sister's legs as high as she could reach._

"_I bet you'll be a great pirate." She mumbled into the embrace. She was still so small, she didn't know if Rosie was maybe scared or not. Rosie did hate to fight, she might've been scared but there was no reason to be. Everyone in their line made great pirates. It was a rule!_

"…_Yeah." She didn't return the hug. Rosie pulled away from her smallest sister and walked down to the gangplank to board the merchant ship that would take her away from her island. She was glad Char hadn't thought to bring out their sisters or father. Germaine would see that she had no weapons, the twins would be able to read her almost as well as they read each other._

_But Char was only six, though she protested that six was a very grown up number. Char didn't notice the lack of blades on her body. Char couldn't read the emotions that flickered across her face. _

"…_Char?" Rosie never looked over her shoulder. "Do you know where you got your name?" She didn't wait for an answer. Char stood by the crates, confused and hurt. She did know the origin of her name, knew the origin of all their names even. Rosie had always been her _nicest_ sister though, why would she say something like that? They _never_ spoke of it._

Char awoke with a breathless gasp and the lingering feelings of hurt caused by her sister's last words to her. She didn't like to think of that night. It had been scary then, and had only grown ever more so as the years went by and she began understanding the night's events better with age. Rosie hadn't wanted to be a pirate, and over three years later Char understood now why her sister's face had lost its pleasantness as that last year together went on.

Rosie had resented her heritage. Had resented being forced to be a pirate when she would've loved to be a simple stay at home mom instead. How often must she have cursed her fate of being born a girl in their line? Rosie had been angry, resentful, and she had turned those rancid feelings onto the only one available at the time when she'd been forced to leave.

She rolled over and clutched her cat tighter, hoping that she'd be able to sleep with no further nightmares.

"_Why am I Char?" She remembered asking her mama when she was three. Even then Flora had begun to weaken, staying in bed more and more instead of out teaching her daughters the tricks of the trade. Flora's cobalt hair slid down her back as she eyed her last child. Eyes as cold as the winter night, and only half as beautiful, sucked away all the warmth the toddler had._

_She loved her mama, she really did. Even years after her death Char thought of her mother with affection in her heart. The Florist Flora had not been a warm woman though. _

"_You are Char because of what happened on the night you were born." The story went that her birth had been heavily anticipated. Flora hadn't expected to have any more children after Germaine. A trusted midwife had been brought in and the process begun innocuously enough._

_Char had been born wrong though, breech position they called it. The labor was long, surpassed only by the length of her first labor even. There had been blood and the crying of waiting siblings. The midwife did all she could but could not prevent some tearing. To Flora though it was as the then unnamed infant wasn't satisfied. _

_The midwife thought at first that she was stillborn. The cord was wrapped three times around her neck, and she was born without a sound escaping her lips. Long practice kept the midwife from revealing her initial despair though. She unwound the cord and gently as she could told mother and father that the child was dead before she'd even lived._

"_No!" Flora had cried, and with a strength and stubbornness showing why she out of her two sisters had been the one to live leapt up and snatched the still infant from her arms. Thirty minutes spent forcing air into the babe's lungs, ignoring the red fluid still clinging to the warm body._

_The wail that sounded at the thirty minute mark was tiny. The midwife cleaned the child but could not dispel her negative feelings at the miracle. For good reason as it turned out._

_Char's breath stopped three times that night, each time Flora had risen to force air into her baby's lungs. Every breath in was a victory, every pause between breaths matched by a pause between Flora's own. Derek, the father, patiently sat out the night with his wife for as long as he could before he drew the midwife away._

"_Tell me." The order was vague, as if not even he was sure how to phrase it. Or didn't want to. To say it seemed to make it real, in this family _imagining _was dangerous._

"_If she survives the night, she won't make it past ten." _

"_You burn your life out, Char." Flora answered her tiny daughter. It hurt, oh by all the rules it hurt, knowing that her daughter would never grow up. A child for the rest of eternity. Char had survived the first night, the second night, her first year, but though she grew healthier the disease never left her body. The only consolation she had was that Flora wasn't going to live long enough to bury the body._

Char was ten now, and knew intimately the disease she had. At any time the breath could refuse to enter her lungs. Char burned the life she had, turning it black and dead before her time. She only wanted to last long enough to have a wanted poster. She just wanted to play this last game for as long as she could.

Char shivered in her sleep and breathed. One less breath from the total. The ashes spread that much farther up her life span.

"Yosh, this is our pirate flag!" Char yawned, rubbing one eye and wondering if she still needed to rub some sleep from her eyes. Was that a skull or a white banana?

"Well, a pirate flag should strike fear into our enemies, and that really is scary." Zoro commented. Char finished rubbing her eyes and decided that obviously Luffy wasn't a good drawer. Which left the question of who had let Luffy draw their pirate flag?

"Let me do it! I have fifty years of experience in drawing on people's walls!" Ussop boasted. Char blinked and was forced to mentally question how old he was. She thought he was around Luffy's age. How could he be so old and look so young? Or maybe he was lying again.

"Ta da!" His flag at least looked like a proper pirate flag, but it didn't look like _their_ flag.

"Baka! That's your own flag!" Nami shouted, punching his head to emphasize her anger. The next attempt was much better in everyone's opinion.

A grinning skull wearing a straw hat. Char thought it was absolutely perfect and Luffy agreed, ordering Ussop to paint it on their sails as well. With that done Char went about the morning practicing her stretches and mentally reciting the different pressure points and nerve clusters she could target using Dim Mak.

Which reminded her she still wanted to find out how Dim Mak affected a body made of rubber. Luffy had already vanished somewhere though, so she resolved to wait until a better chance came around. She climbed up to the crow's nest and smiled into the wind. This was the perfect way to beat back bad memories. She listened to the laughter and movement of her crew down below and felt safe, as though nothing could really hurt her. Luffy and Zoro and Nami and Ussop were nakama now.

When she saw Luffy come back up deck with a box of cannon balls she laughed and joined the boys in glee when Nami announced there was a place nearby to practice firing the cannons. After just a few minutes of this she was hard pressed to remember why she'd been so late getting up this morning at all.


	11. Some Are Blind to Rules

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 11: Rules Are Useless to Those Blind to Them.

"Aw, I missed." Char pouted when the ball flew wide of the rock spire she'd been aiming for. So far neither she nor Luffy had actually hit anything. She didn't understand why she was so _bad_ at this though. She could hit things when she was tossing her toys around, what made this different?

_Other than not being a game?_ She corrected herself. Ussop took up position behind the cannon, fiddling with his goggles and the cannon to line up his shot. She watched the ball arc out over the ocean and hit the spire, sending shrapnel flying. It was really an impressive sight.

"I-I hit it!" Ussop gaped.

"Yosh, from now on you're our sharpshooter!" Char left her captain and newly named sharpshooter to go find Nami. She thought she heard something about co-captains but ignored it. She was the cabin girl and as such her job was to clean things and make sure everyone had what they needed to do their jobs right.

"Hey Nami, what'cha doing?" She asked in a sing-song voice as she entered the lounge. Nami looked away from the stove to look at the girl standing in the doorway.

"I'm making lunch. We have to figure out how to stretch this stuff out until we get to the next island." She answered. The debt the boys owed her due to these services helped too. Otherwise she'd be outside, enjoying the sunshine.

"Mmm." Char hummed, watching the magical process that turned bits and pieces from the fridge into something edible. She took a seat at the table and began toying with some string while waiting for the boys to arrive and the food to be ready.

"Wait, why do we have to pay you?" Ussop demanded. Char blinked herself out of her little bubble and looked with some exasperation at the mess she had made of the string. It was all tangled now, she'd have to spend some time either untangling it or cut her losses and toss it over the side.

"Baka!" Nami shouted, emphasizing the word with a fresh pound on his skull. "I'm a navigator, not a cook, so extra services have to be paid for." The logic seemed sound but—as with many things she was coming to realize—something about it was screwy.

"What we need is to add another crewmember to our roster." She suggested, absently knocking away roaming rubber hands as she passed out the meal. Char took her ham and cheese sandwich with grace but devoured it as though fearful of its ability to walk away. Probably with Luffy's hands helping it along.

"Yeah, what this crew needs is a musician." Char sits back and watches as everyone rounds on her captain. She wouldn't mind a musician actually. She doesn't know why they have to go _in order_. If there even _is_ a specific order you can put family in to. She finishes her food and is thinking about what she's going to do for the rest of the afternoon when someone starts screaming outside about getting revenge.

"Oi, don't break our ship!" Luffy orders the stranger outside, a darkly tanned man with a pair of shades and a sword. Char huffs angrily when she sees he's been swinging it at their railing.

"Night's Illusion: Eternal Darkness." She intones, pushing every shadow that's ever made her shiver towards him.

"Gah! What the hell!" He screams, flailing around like a chicken missing its head. "I've gone blind!"

"Johnny, the Hell are you doing here?" Zoro mumbles. He turns to the little girl with her eyes closed in concentration. "Oi, Char, let him go." She opens her eyes, breaking the illusion, and pouts at him.

"Zoro-aniki!?" The shady man gasps once the light returns to his eyes. He doesn't really understand what just happened but something tells him it had to do with the little girl standing beside his aniki.

"What are you doing here Johnny?" Zoro repeats, stepping forward. "Where's Yosaku?"

"Oh Aniki, it's horrible, just awful!" Johnny cries, bringing up one hand as though to wipe away tears. Char crosses her arms and pointedly inspects the damage done to their new ship. He's lucky she didn't do something _really_ nasty to him. This ship was a gift and she always took care of gifts and as cabin girl it was _her_ job to make sure everything was clean and neat.

A few minutes later there's a _second_ stranger on deck, this one in noticeably less health than the first. His face is a sickly green and he's obviously in pain from the way he's moaning and going on.

"We took shelter by those big rocks there after he got sick but _someone_ starting firing cannon balls at us!" Johnny explains with a sharp look at the captain and sharpshooter.

"Tell it to me straight Nami-aneki, is he going to be alright?" He tearfully asks the pretty navigator. He's not entirely sure what the deal is with the girl, she's probably related to one of the other three crew members on this ship. Probably that long-nosed one but he'd ask later just to be sure.

"Don't call me that, and he'll be fine. He just has the scurvy." She informs him before turning on her two lackeys. "You two, go get some limes from the storage room! Now!" Luffy and Ussop wisely choose not to argue with the she-demon's orders and hustle to the storage room.

She squeezes a few in his mouth. Like magic he's on his feet, green coat fluttering like a cape as he dances around with his buddy. Char blinks in amazement and then sneaks a lime away from Luffy. Stella and Isabel _did_ say she had to eat more green things. There might be something to that after all!

"I'm Johnny!" "And I'm Yosaku!" They sang out as they danced round and round. She was actually getting kind of dizzy.

"Thank you for your magic limes Nami-aneki!" They sang in unison. It reminded her of what Stella and Isabel did, but not as entertaining to watch. They really didn't look alike, so she was _pretty_ sure that they weren't twins.

"By the way, is this little girl one of yours daughter or something?" Johnny asked, halting their celebration.

Char grinned and started laughing with Luffy while everyone else denied it. Why did people keep doing that?

"Ugh, no, Char isn't any of ours daughter." Nami groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose to hold off a headache. "And for the love of, would you two stop dancing around! He's still recovering from scurvy!" As if on cue Yosaku began to spit up blood, prompting a loud but brief freak out from the men of the pirate crew.

"Food is a mysterious thing." Yosaku hummed thoughtfully as he and Johnny repaired the damage done to Merry. Inconsiderate boys, phooey!

"Yeah, you guys should add a chef to your crew, otherwise you might end up like Yosaku!" Johnny warned them. Char stuck her tongue out at that and returned to sucking on the lime. She hadn't decided yet if she liked the flavor. It wasn't as bad as _some_ of the green stuff she'd eaten in the past, and it _was_ food. Helmeppo had starved an appreciation for all things edible into her.

"Where can we find a chef?" Luffy asked, tilting his head in confusion. According to Nami they weren't near any important islands yet and somehow he doubted they'd find one on a little raff in the middle of the ocean.

"You should go to the sea restaurant, the Beratie!" Johnny boasted. Char tried to picture it, a floating restaurant out in the middle of the ocean. She wondered if they'd have ice cream. She hastily checked her froggy wallet to make sure she had enough to buy some, just in case.

"Yosh! To the sea restaurant! MEAT!" Luffy ordered, already leaving a trail of drool in his wake. Char laughed as everyone set sail, changing course. She decided she'd better get to work too and began cleaning up the mess Johnny and Yosaku left. They'd left lots of nails and saw dust on the floor, so she had to pick up the nails then sweep.

"Oi Char, get to the crow's nest! We have to keep a look out!" Luffy laughingly ordered her when she was done.

"Hai!" She sang, immediately climbing the mast. Within seconds she stood on the rail of the crow's nest, on hand holding fast to the edge while the other held a spy glass to her eye. She wondered what the restaurant would look like.

There was nothing yet, but soon she'd see the restaurant! She just had to be patient.

_Being patient is hard._ She sighed and put herself more securely in the crow's nest. There was nothing but water as far as she could see.

"All I see is the sea, don't you see, it's only sea~!" She sang quietly. "Just you and me, on the sea, far as I can see, it's only you and me~!" _What was that song Germaine used to sing? Hoist the Colors?_

"The king and his men, stole the queen from her bed~" She sang lowly. "And bound her in her booooones, the seas be ours and by the powers, where we will, we'll roam." It wasn't a very happy song, but it was old. Older than her dad even! That reminded her that she should write another letter to him soon, to let him know she was doing alright. And that they had a ship.

She put up the spy glass again and scanned the horizon. Nothing there, just sea in that direction, maybe she should ask Luffy to make someone else do this. She was the cabin girl, not the look out. This was so _boring!_

_Huh, I guess I should tell them about the marine ship over there._ She giggled a little and bounced in place. Maybe they'd finally get a proper battle against marines! That really would be something to write home about!

"Ahoy, marine ship off the port bow!" She shouted, pointing in the direction she was _pretty_ sure was port.

"Marines?" Ussop repeated, looking over his shoulder to the port side. He gulped when he recognized the white sails with the seagull insignia. "L-L-Luffy, we've got a problem!"

They all gathered at the port, Char calmly walking along the sail support thing until she could drop down in the middle of the group. It was really rather inconvenient to be so short.

"Attention, who is the captain of this pirate vessel?" Came a loud, booming voice.

"That would be me! We finished our flag earlier today!" Luffy informed the marine. Char tried to judge the distance between the two ships. She really needed to get some sort of grappling hook or something. How was she supposed to get over there for the fight? Maybe Luffy would carry her.

"Hey, aren't you two Johnny and Yosaku, the bounty hunters?" The voice continued, totally ignoring them. She huffed at his rudeness. If he was ignoring her captain than she should give him an illusion to remember, but she held her peace.

"Ha, I guess you two must be real weaklings to be captured by a no-name pirate crew!" He laughed over the distance. He couldn't see very well because the pirate ship was towards the sun, but he had to study harder when he thought he saw a midget by the rails. That didn't look like a midget, it looked like a kid. Had the pirates taken a little girl hostage?

"You bastard!" The bounty hunters cursed. The leapt the distance, drawing their swords with intent to make this fool apologize to them on bended knee. Fullbody scoffed and easily rounded on the duo, throwing two punches in quick succession to knock them back to the other ship. These guys weren't worth his time, especially as he had a hot date coming up.

"Fullbody-kun, aren't you forgetting our date?" A pretty young lady walked up to him. They had arrived at the famous Beratie restaurant, the perfect place to take a lady.

"Not at all dear, just let me order my men to sink that stupid pirate ship over there." He smiled suavely at her. She giggled flirtatiously and walked off again, eager to try the food at this famous restaurant.

"They're firing at us!" Ussop cried in despair.

"Gomu Gomu no…" Luffy started, sucking in enough air to gorge his body. "BALLOON!" He caught the cannon ball easily, to the shock of the marines on deck.

"Take this back!" He shouted at them. Char had to admit though; it would've been a lot cooler if he'd kept his grip. The slight shift sent the cannon ball off target. Instead of crashing into the marine ship, it soared in a fierce arc all the way to the floating restaurant, crashing through the roof at the back. "Oops."

"Hey, which of you threw that cannon ball at our restaurant?" Some burly cooks came out and asked. Char wasted no time and quickly pointed at her captain. He was the one who did it, he should take responsibility. Also those cooks had arms about as thick as her waist and she was fond of breathing.

"Ah, that was me, sorry about that." At least he was polite about apologizing. Makino had taught him to always take responsibility for his actions.

Char bit her lip nervously as they waited for Luffy to reemerge from the restaurant. He was probably in a lot of trouble for breaking their roof. She had better check on him, maybe offer to clean up and stuff to make up for the damage they did. It was the marines fault but they were pirates, they'd be blamed no matter what. It was mentioned in the rules that pirates always got the short stick.

Well, if she was going to leave the ship she should tell the first mate, so no one would worry. The first mate would be Zoro, since he was basically Luffy's right hand man and the second strongest fighter on board. He hadn't officially stated his title, but she figured it didn't really matter if everyone recognized it regardless. Stating it would just be redundant!

"Ne Zoro?" She stalked over to the sleeping man. She thought briefly of taking out her markers again, but decided she needed him in a good mood. There would be plenty of opportunities to draw on his face later. "Zoro, wake up!"

"Hmm? What do you want Char?" He yawned.

"I'm going to the restaurant to check on Luffy, I figured I should tell someone before leaving." She explained. He grunted and shifted to go back to sleep. Lacking any sort of negative response she grinned and pulled up her hood, vanishing from sight.

She took off her hood after she landed on the Beratie though, realizing it might be easier to just ask where Luffy was. Besides, these guys weren't enemies, unlike the marines and those Black Cat pirates. She opened the front door and took a good look around.

"If you plan on closing this restaurant down, then I can't let you leave this place alive." She stared at the blonde boy in the suit. He was holding up that same marine guy who had been so rude earlier! She grinned and automatically decided she liked the blonde guy. Anyone who could beat up a marine like that was okay in her books!

She was about to go and introduce herself, and ask where her captain was of course, when the roof caved in. Her shoulders slumped as she realized it was Luffy, and a strange old man with a braided mustache. Wow, it must be really long, and his mustache didn't have _anything_ on his _hat._ It almost touched the ceiling!

She made a mental note to ask him where she could get a hat like that. It looked really cool!

"Now look what you've done chore boy!" The old man growled at Luffy. She stopped looking at his hat long enough to realize his right leg was a peg leg. She had heard about that sort of thing but she had never seen it in real life before. She wondered if it hurt to walk on, and how it was attached. Asking might be really rude though, so she went back to staring at the awesome hat.

"Boss-Zeff, help us with Sanji! He keeps attacking the customers!" One of the burly cooks called. She noticed they were trying to pull the blonde (Sanji?) off the marine. Which was a shame, since she considered it karma that he got beaten up. It _was_ his fault that Luffy was in trouble after all, he deserved it.

"You shitty eggplant!" The old man cursed, bounding forward and kicking both Sanji and the marine towards the door. Unfortunately he neglected to take into account the little ten year old girl standing in the door way.

Her hood was up and a shadow image in place to take the blow before she realized what was happening. Zeff mentally cursed himself and tried to find the little girl he was certain was badly injured beneath the eggplant and the marine man.

"Oh wow, that was dangerous." Out of nowhere the girl appeared again, a strange blue-grey cloak around her shoulders as she poked the marine with the toe of her shoe.

"Hello, I'm Char!" She introduced herself with a small, respectful bow. "I'm the cabin girl on Luffy's ship, and I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help make up for him breaking your roof."

"Also, I'd like to know where I could get a hat like yours, it's really cool!"


	12. The Golden Rule

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 12: The Golden Rule is That There is No Golden Rule.

Sanji looked at the little lady who had calmly introduced herself to the small crowd of cooks and customers after narrowly avoiding a painful collision. How she'd done so was a bit confusing, but he didn't question it. Although much younger than his usual tastes she was still a girl, a young lady, and thus something to be protected.

"Sir, I regret to inform you that Krieg's man has escaped, and he's already killed seven men!" A soldier interrupted his quiet musings. The shitty marine he'd been about to brutally tenderize looked up in alarm.

"What do you mean he's escaped?" He questioned loudly. "He was almost starving when we picked him up and he hasn't eaten or had any water for three days!" His eyes narrowed at the confession and he mentally began planning a meal that would be easy on a stomach unused to being fed.

"_Don_ Krieg?" The whispers started. Char swept the room with a glance as she heard people muttering about the rumors they'd all heard. Something about Krieg being the strongest pirate in the East Blue?

_These guys must be stupid._ She thought. After all it was _pretty_ obvious that _Luffy_ was stronger than this guy. After all, anyone who needed an entire _armada_ was clearly compensating for something.

She wasn't entirely sure what that phrase meant, being a naïve child, but she knew it was insulting and felt she had used the term correctly.

The bang of a pistol sent her gaze back to the doorway. The soldier that had been standing there was gone, replaced by a man with a grey jacket with red snakes. He carried the pistol, still smoking from the discharge.

"Get me some food." He ordered one of the cooks, not seeming to care who followed the order.

"Welcome to the Beratie, do you have money to pay for this meal?" A man with large gorilla arms asked the man. Char stared, tilting her head to one side as she watched what promised to be an entertaining show.

"Do you accept bullets through the head?" The man challenged, whipping up his pistol. She mentally scoffed, comparing the time it took him to clip back the safety next to Ussop, who she now knew could've fired at least three times in the same time span. Her crew was awesome though, and not everyone could be as gifted.

She winces in sympathy when the strange man, now quietly dubbed Scruffy, get slammed into the floor. Gorilla man continued to beat on him, before tossing him out back, much to the pleasure of the customers who formed the audience. Sure, he hadn't been able to pay, and yes, he'd been threatening to kill Gorilla man, but fighting someone so obviously weakened didn't sit well with her.

In her distraction she realized that Luffy and Sanji had snuck off. Oh well, the awesome hat guy was still there. She'd just talk to him since, judging from his hat, he seemed to be in charge.

"Excuse me, Zeff-san?" She started politely, waiting for him to acknowledge her before continuing. "How's Luffy going to pay you back for what he broke?" She asked.

"He'll work as a chore boy here for one year." The old man answered. She frowned then, and lighted on an idea.

"If I help can it be six months instead? Please?" She asked, clasping her hands together and putting on her best game face. He raised an imperious brow, taking in her appearance. Black locks, hanging in waves down to just past her shoulders. Storm grey eyes seemed to sparkle, like tiny flashes of lightning that went off to his senses. Black hair, eyes that were silver under natural light, and a little too innocent to be entirely true.

"Heh, aren't you a bit young to be out at sea already, Little Red Lady?" He asked, ignoring the confused looks from the cooks under his service.

"Not really, I can name at least four ancestresses who went out at ten too." She corrected him. It was an easy mistake to make though. She also knew three boys who were pirates and a whole year younger than her too boot!

"Boss Zeff, what do you mean by Little Red Lady? The kid's not wearing any red." A cook came up and asked. He looked like he had a five o'clock shadow and had a blue scarf around his neck.

"I meant she's descended from the Red Lady Line, a line going from mother to daughter and dating back to the very first female pirate." He informed his horribly ignorant crew.

"Nani? Really?" He asked, looking at the seeming normal child. "How can you tell?"

"They just love to play games." Zeff smirked. "Alright Little Red Lady, follow Carne here to the backrooms and he'll give you something to serve as a uniform."

"Hai!" She smiled, it was nice to be recognized for who she was and where she came from every once in a while. The marines were gone anyway, so no harm no foul.

So that was how she started working part-time with Luffy at the Beratie. She didn't work as chore girl though, she was given a waitress uniform a few sizes too big. It was fine once she put a little illusion on herself so it _looked_ like the pink dress and frilly apron fit. She looked adorable!

"Ohayo, my name's Char! May I show you to your seats?" She curtsied in front of her friends who had apparently gotten hungry. Nami cooed at her outfit while the boys all stared.

"Wow Char, you look pretty good." Ussop complimented her. She smiled and showed them to a table and got them some water to drink while they waited.

"So are you making lots of tips?" Nami asked innocently.

"Yeah! The people who come here are really nice to me!" She said for the benefit of the people watching. The cooes and aws from the crowd let her know that her froggy wallet was about to become a little fatter.

"Ah, no fair!" Luffy cried when he saw all of them sitting down to a meal. "I'm working my butt off while you guys are eating without me?!" He had tried to _sample_ some of the food from the kitchen but the cooks there were really tough. Char always put a little illusion over him that made it so he couldn't see the food she was giving to other people too!

"Are you insulting my food you shit geezer?!" Char jumped and whirled around to see what was happening. Zeff and Sanji were having another fight, the third one since breakfast. She didn't understand why they were fighting so much. If Zeff really didn't want Sanji there why didn't he fire him or something? It really wasn't nice to bully one of your crew like he was doing.

"You're one hundred years too soon to be trying to lay a finger on me, you shitty eggplant!" The old man roared, lashing out with his peg leg. Sanji went flying through the air, Char once again having to use the Double Maneuver (A shadow to take the hit while she went invisible) to get out of the way in time. The table was completely destroyed, surprising everyone in the restaurant.

"Ah Sanji! There you are!" Luffy grinned. "Guys, this is Sanji, he's going to be our cook!"

"You are? Welcome aboard!" Char congratulated him.

"No, I'm not!" He snapped at the straw hat idiot. He then quickly whipped up a Fruit Macedonia for the beautiful lady who's table he had unwittingly destroyed.

"Oh, alas I would _love_ to join any crew that could have such a beautiful angel on board but unfortunately I must remain here!" He waxed lyrical for her.

"There's nothing keeping you here, you shitty eggplant. Go on and be a pirate for all I care." Zeff called over, making him grimace in response.

"Ano, Sanji-kun?" Nami spoke up, bringing him back to firm attention at her loveliness.

"Yes, my sweet?" He crooned.

"I love the food here but it's just a tad expensive!" She pouted artistically. She hoped Char was watching. Using child-like antics was vastly different from feminine wiles and if she knew anything it was that Char was going to grow up to have the perfect body from extorting men.

"Why, my dear, of course you will eat here for free for however long you bless me with your presence!" He assured her, aghast that such a beautiful lady may be unable to afford enough to eat. "The shitheads still have to pay of course." The two men took offense but he ignored them.

"Oi, straw hat baka! Stop slacking!" He scolded the chore boy, who'd been laughing. "Char, you get back to work too but lunch break is in half an hour, if you eat everything on your plate you can have a sundae." He told the little waitress.

"I can? Thank you so much!" She grinned. Sanji watched her go to a table with an elderly couple, measuring how the 'dress' hung off her frame and how thin her shoulders were beneath the cloak she refused to shed. She was far too skinny for ten, clearly this straw hat boy didn't know how to properly feed children. They needed a good diet to make sure they grew up healthy and strong!

After eating she asked Patty who said Luffy was out taking the trash. That suited her purpose fine and she left the kitchen to deal with any of the customers.

"Hello, is everything okay over here?" She asked politely at the table of a family, a man, woman, and elderly lady.

"Why, aren't you adorable? Is the blonde haired chef your older brother?" The old woman asked her. Char giggled and decided to correct her.

"No, I don't have any brothers! But he's really nice to me and he let me have some ice cream!" The old woman turned to her children, fraternal twins and crowed about how sweet and polite the little dear was and be sure to leave her a big tip, working at such a young age.

"Hey, isn't that Don Krieg's ship?" Char ran outside at that to join Zeff, Sanji, and Luffy as a battered galleon drifted closer. It looked like a giant had accidentally sat on it at some point. Sort of squished together.

"Maybe Gin is coming back to say thanks." Luffy suggested. Char shrugged at that, wondering briefly who this Gin guy was, before dismissing it. If it was really important she'd figure it out later.

"L-Luffy, we should run!" Ussop cried. Char waved at her approaching crew mates. Zoro joined Luffy and eyed the ship coming in, running his hand over the white hilt of his favorite sword.

"The ship is really broken down." Luffy commented, either ignoring or not hearing Ussop's suggestion. Knowing Luffy he probably wasn't listening at all.

Within a few minutes Scruffy (Gin?) had returned to the restaurant, supporting a man with lilac hair wearing a fine robe. The man looked sickly, he even groaned like he was dying. Char had a hard time believing this was really Don Krieg. How could anyone be scared of him? He didn't look all that scary.

"Please, get us some food and water!" Gin begged. "We have money so that makes us customers!" Char was about to walk forward to take their order, she was supposed to attend to customers right away after all, but the chefs are all crowded around. Sometimes it really _stinks_ being just a kid. She was too short to get through all the men. She huffed until she noticed Sanji sneak off to the kitchen.

"Here, I'll help carry some!" Char offered once she realized what he was doing. Sanji smiled and indulged her, giving her the glass and pitcher of water. The crowd parted like the red sea, leaving Patty to try to stop Sanji on his own. Char cocked her head curiously but followed Sanji when he kicked the gorilla man out of the way. What was _with_ everyone lately?

"Hello, welcome to the Beratie!" She smiled, pouring some water while the starving man scarfed down the stir fry Sanji had dropped at her feet.

"Are you crazy, Sanji? And dragging a little kid into it too?" Carne cried angrily. "Don't you know all the horrible things this guy's done?" Char refilled the emptied glass and didn't pay much attention to Carne, providing the reason she was the only to see what was going to happen before it did. She leapt backwards, dragging Sanji with her to avoid taking the full blow from the recovered man. She still grunted in pain from his punch and bit her tongue to stop herself from cursing the man.

What followed next really made her want to find a place that made books so she could print out a thousand copies of Anna's diary and force these people to read them. Did _no one_ in this world have some kind of rule book? You can't just take someone's _ship!_ A ship was like nakama, that was like stealing a person!

Patty tried to attack Krieg with some kind of meatball cannon, which was really cool and she wanted one, but Krieg just threw open his robe and revealed he was wearing golden armor. It reflected the sunlight into her eyes and she had to take a minute to adjust, allowing herself to be just as surprised as anyone else when Zeff appeared with a sack to rival Santa's.

"Here, food for a hundred people." He announced.

"Boss Zeff, why are you doing this?" The chefs demanded. Char had to agree, slightly. It didn't sound like a good thing to feed your enemies so they could attack you.

"You fools don't understand something Sanji learned as a boy, that every man is equal when he is hungry." Zeff sighed, sounding very put upon for having to deal with a crew that was less a few screws short than missing the whole tool box.

"Zeff? Do you mean Red Leg Pirate Zeff?" The man asked with a stunned expression. Krieg proceeded to inform everyone in the vicinity of what Zeff had done during his pirate days. Char listened with half an ear and studied the hat man in front of her. Hearing that he had been a pirate explained why he knew about her family and why he was so cool about it, when anyone else who knew would panic because the World Government still hunted anyone with her blood.

"Wow, you must've been a big fan!" She exclaimed after he finally finished listing all of Zeff's accomplishments.

"You brat, don't make me kill you where you stand!" He warned her. He picked up the sack of food and announced that he would feed his crew and then they would return to take the Beratie and kill anyone still there. The customers started bailing left and right, running back to their ships to escape the wrath of Krieg's crew.

"Before I go, I know that you are one of the few pirates to ever sail into and out of the Grand Line, lasting an entire year." Krieg announced. Now Char's jaw dropped and she viewed the man in stunned surprise. "That means you must have kept a log of your journey. Do you still have it?"

"I have it, but I'm not giving it to you. That log is the last record of my faithful crew, and I'd be insulting them by letting you have it." Zeff answered.

"Ha, the only reason my crew was tossed from the Grand Line after just seven days is because of a lack of information!" He declared. "Once I take that journal from you we'll return there, and find the One Piece! I'll be named the King of the Pirates!" Luffy roared in outrage while Char burst into disbelieving laughter.

"Oi, baka!_ I'm_ the one who'll be King of the Pirates!" He declared. Char grinned and nodded in satisfaction. It was better for everyone if they'd just stand aside and let them get on with things.

"Luffy, need any help?" Zoro asked, one hand on his swords and eyeing Gin and Krieg, picturing how they'd look cut into ribbons. Ussop stammered some lie but didn't leave the relative safety of his hiding spot behind the table.

"Nah, I got this." The straw hat boy dismissed them.

"Ha, is that your crew boy? What a pathetic number!" Krieg laughed.

"Nu-uh, there's three more!" Luffy corrected him, holding up the corresponding fingers. Char hummed in agreement and moved to stand beside him.

"Oi, why am I being counted?" Sanji bit out, a bit on the hysterical side. How many times had he refused that kid already?

"I'm going to change real quick Captain." Char announced, slipping into the back once Luffy nodded in acknowledgement. She didn't want to get Zeff's uniform all dirty by fighting in it, considering what happened the last time she wore good clothes to a fight.


	13. Keeping Your Word is a Kind of Rule Too

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 13: Keeping Your Word is a Kind of Rule.

"Hey Gin, you said you didn't know anything about the Grand Line when I asked you." Luffy was saying when she returned, dressed once more in skort and orange top, the suspenders hung down the sides. Her cloak was firmly wrapped around her shoulders, her trick bag unzipped enough to slip a hand in to retrieve whatever she needed. She was as ready as she'd ever be.

"Because I _don't_ know anything about that devil sea!" He assured Luffy. His eyes looked far away, seeing something only he could see. "A single man tore down our fifty ships, we only escaped because a freak storm started up."

"Who could do such a thing? It had to be some kind of monster." One of the chefs exclaimed. Char wasn't so sure about that, after all her family had lots of stories about things on the Grand Line.

"It's true, a single man with piercing, golden eyes." Gin defended, giving a slight shudder at the memory of meeting such a gaze.

"Ah, that must've been Mihawk, he goes by the name Hawk-Eyes and he's the current World's Greatest Swordsman." Zeff informed them. Char wondered how he knew so many things. Maybe it was just from being really old. Old people always seemed to know everything.

"Hawk-Eyes." Zoro muttered. She looked up at him, noticing his three earrings stirring in the breeze.

"Eh, do you know him?" Luffy asked curiously, tipping his head to one side.

"That's the man I've set out to defeat." Char remembered a hot day, tied to a post, and a conversation about dreams and fun. His dream was to be the World's Greatest Swordsman, hers was to play the Ultimate Game. To be the Greatest Swordsman, he had to defeat whoever owned the title now. That was Mihawk.

"So then it becomes clear, to face Mihawk I'll have to travel the Grand Line." He finished with an anticipating grin.

"Oi, why don't you all think of the fight here and now instead! Krieg's men are starting to gear up!" Patty informed them, gesturing to the wrecked galleon in front of them. Char rolled some marbles between her fingers to calm herself.

Just as the enemy prepared to launch their attack an amazing thing happened. Before their very eyes cracks spread along the galleon's sides and mast. At first she believed the ship was finally dying, unable to float any longer. Every piece came off perfectly sectioned though, cut as though by the hand of God as men and supplies fell to the sea.

"There he is! That monster man, Hawk-Eyes Mihawk!" The cry rang out. Char shivered when she saw him. He sat propped against his giant sword on his raft, candles that burned with green flames at each corner, giving off an eerie glow. If it was night time she knew she'd have already flipped up her hood and begun praying to remain undetected.

As it was, with day light strong she felt just enough bravery to move just a bit behind Luffy for protection. Fighting a large crew of pirates was one thing, becoming a minion to some kind of creepy vampire-man who was immune to sunlight was a whole other thing.

"Zoro-bro! Luffy-bro! It's awful!" Johnny and Yosaku called, they were soaking wet and running from around the restaurant where they had docked.

"Nami stole the ship and all the treasure and took off!" Johnny shouted.

"What? Are you kidding, Johnny?" Luffy asked, stunned.

"That sea witch, she probably planned to make off with all the treasure all along." Zoro cursed. His heart didn't seem to be in it though. Nearly all his attention was focused on his goal standing before him. The hand clutching Kuina's sword shook with all his self-control trying to keep from drawing it just yet.

"Give her up for lost Luffy-bro." Yosaku advised. Char couldn't believe what she was hearing! "By now she'll be nearly out of sight. We've got no way to catch up except by using our boat and it's not worth it for someone like her."

"No." They all looked at him quizzically. Was that a 'no' for agreeing that Nami wasn't worth the trouble? Char didn't think she wanted someone who would betray them on their crew, but she liked Nami and she had taken Merry! Merry was a present, and a nakama, from Barbie-chan.

"I won't have anyone else for my navigator. It has to be her!" He continued, declaring his intent with all the stubbornness of a child demanding his way. Char grinned, a child herself after all.

"Zoro, Johnny, Yosaku, Ussop, Char, go and get our navigator back!" He ordered them with a smile.

"Yosh, she isn't out of sight yet!" Ussop reported, using his headset to judge the distance. "I can still see Merry!"

"Hawk-Eyes!" She jumped and looked back towards the excitement, which she'd been ignoring in favor of her captain's wisdom. The ship had been completely demolished, little was left and what was there would soon sink to the bottom of the sea. Most of the pirates were in the water, clinging to anything that would float. Krieg stood on a piece of his ship that could still float and glared at the swordsman that had followed them all this way.

"Why did you follow us all the way here?" Krieg questioned. Char listened, aware that everyone else in her crew was also watching.

"It killed some time." The greatest swordsman shrugged. His voice wasn't half as scary as she had imagined it. He sounded a bit like some noble guy actually, not overly arrogant but more like he'd been raised well.

"Don't be an idiot! Who would follow someone all the way from the Grand Line for such a stupid reason?" Obviously Mihawk, Krieg clearly hadn't been listening. Char huffed and blew her bangs out of her eyes. He looked like his eyes were going to pop out of his head!

"You should be grateful that I haven't killed you as well. I was bored and there doesn't seem to be anything fun to do here, so I'll be taking my leave." Mihawk announced. He was just about to do as he'd said when a strange youth with green hair and three swords stopped him.

"You said you were killing time right? How about a duel?" He challenged.

"Ha, if you were any swordsman of stature you would be able to sense the difference in us at a glance. Young frog, hop back into the well you come from." Char frowned and tried to think of why Mihawk was calling her friend a frog. He was really weird, and not even that scary.

"That's up to me to decide." Zoro said with confidence. He stopped smirking when Mihawk pulled a small dagger from the cross around his neck, rather than drawing his legendary Yoru. "What's with the toothpick?" He demanded.

"I am not like those fools who use their full strength to hunt a single rabbit." He said in lieu of an explanation. Char swallowed any fear she felt for her friend. This was his dream, his game. He was the only one who could play it.

Mihawk was scary good with that dagger. He blocked Zoro's Oni Giri attack with barely a flick of his wrist. She shivered at the unmasked look of disbelief that crossed her friend's face. That was only the start of the duel. She was afraid that stab would be the permanent end.

"Why don't you step back?" Mihawk asked, his dagger still buried an inch deep into his challenger's chest.

"I don't know," Zoro started around the hilt of his katana. "But if I moved back right now, I feel like I'd be breaking a promise that I could never fix."

"Yes." Mihawk acknowledged. "Such is defeat."

"Then I refuse to acknowledge defeat." Zoro smirked. Mihawk shared a similar expression and withdrew his blade from his opponent.

"What true honor! For this I'll allow you to have a taste of what is truly the best." He informed the younger man, drawing his Yoru. The air seemed tinged with electricity, ready to shock all the spectators.

Char closed her eyes when he moved forward. She heard the gasps of the crowd, but no sound at all came from the fighters. Nothing, until she heard the distinctive sound of metal breaking. Cautiously, she opened her eyes.

Zoro was hunched over, his two black sheath swords broken at his feet. Only the white katana had escaped unblemished. Blood stained his shirt, steadily dripping onto the floor boards beneath his feet. Slowly, he sheathed his last sword and turned to face the victor of the duel, opening his arms wide.

He smirked at Mihawk's bewildered look. Not many swordsmen still kept to the old ways of Bushido. It was a good surprise though.

"A scar on the back is a swordsman's shame." He explained. Mihawk's look turned predatory.

"Excellent!" He declared. Char didn't have time to close her eyes. Blood flew into the air and she heard screams, one came from the child herself.

"Zoro!" Luffy shouted, catapulting himself to the shipwreck where his swordsman had fallen into the water. Johnny, Yosaku, and Char had jumped into the water to save him and drag him aboard the bounty hunter duo's boat.

"Relax you fool, I left him alive." Mihawk assured the straw hat boy. If he wasn't too mistaken this was the boy Shanks had told him about. The one who cost him an arm, and who he had passed the straw hat down to.

"Roronoa Zoro, I will await you at the top! Surpass this level of strength, surpass _me!_" He challenged the limp form that had been dragged from the water.

:*_cough*_ Luffy, can you hear me?" Char hovered uncertainly. The sea water had washed away some of the blood but she didn't know what to do about his wounds.

"Yeah." Luffy answered.

"Sorry, if I couldn't become the Greatest Swordsman it'd be a problem for you, right?" Zoro broke himself off for a coughing fit, scaring his friends witless. He had to take a few deep breaths before he could force the words from his throat.

"I swear I WILL NEVER LOSE AGAIN!" He cried. "Is that a problem, Pirate King?"

"Shishishi, no problem here!" Luffy assured him. "Follow Nami, bring her back!"

"Aye!" Came the resounding call. Char looked ahead eagerly, conscious of Johnny and Yosaku stitching her friend together. They were going to be okay, this was the Ultimate Game.

Some time later.

"I know where we're going!" Yosaku suddenly gasped in horror.

"Nami-sis was looking at this wanted poster in particular, and if we follow this course," Johnny started.

"Then we'll arrive at his base of operations! He'll kill us all! There's no way to fight a monster fishman!" Yosaku finished.

"A fishman? They aren't monsters." Char protested. The others didn't seem to hear her, Ussop had joined the duo in screaming in terror. She huffed and flopped down onto the deck with her legs folded. People never _listened_ to kids!

"I should put them in an illusion." She muttered mutinously. It would probably be funny, she reasoned, but she'd also feel bad about it. They were really scared of this Arlong guy, and making them think they all turned into fishpeople would probably be really mean.

_Besides, he really does look scary._ She gulped at the poster that had floated to the floor somewhere in their panic.

"Luffy said to get Nami back, so that's what we're going to do." Zoro broke through as the voice of reason.

"You baka! You were nearly killed, why are you walking around?" Ussop demanded, using his demon voice to scold the demon hunter. Char settled down with mister Stuffikins and Kitty to watch a good show.

"Besides, don't you know how dangerous fishmen are!? They'll kill us and our top fighter is horribly injured!" He continued. Zoro frowned and surveyed the deck. Johnny and Yosaku seemed to be in agreement with the sniper, but Char seemed deep in conversation with two stuffed toys, discussing the quality of the show? Was he missing something?

"So we fight them, simple enough." He shrugged, grimacing as the bandages pulled over his wounds. His shirt was unsalvageable, and he didn't have any spares with him. Those were all on the ship, which Nami had stolen, that damn sea witch.

"Zoro-bro, Arlong is a seriously bad dude! There's no way-!" _CRASH! _Char yelped and stuffed her toys back into the trick bag. A giant fish had just come out of nowhere, destroying part of the railing and taking Yosaku back in the direction of the Beratie.

"Yosaku!" Johnny yelled after his friend. It was officially hopeless, there was no way they'd survive now. Yosaku had already been gutted by an evil fish!

"Relax, he'll be fine." Zoro shrugged it off. He knew that Yosaku could take some damage, and that fish had flat teeth, it wasn't a meat eater. "Besides, he might make it back to tell Luffy what we've found out. We can't afford to fall behind Nami."

"We're all going to die." At least Ussop seemed more resigned now.

"I'll be look out!" Char declared, already starting the short climb to the highest point of the boat. From there she studied the horizon. Well, if they were going to be fighting fishmen then she wanted to be prepared. What did Anna have to say about them?

Her eyes flitted between the pages and the horizon. Anna had unfortunately said very little on the topic, and what she _did_ say was mixed up with just about everything else. It was hard to find anything beyond hand notes at the end of an Illusion description. There were notes about how Dim Mak wasn't as effective because their skin was thicker, but they were all so varied in the first place that she didn't know what to expect. She'd probably need to stick with weapons and illusions, and avoid water at all costs.

"Well, I guess we'll just play the waiting game." She sighed, talking to the re-emerged mister Stuffikins. He seemed to nod in resigned agreement and she decided to announce a quick game of I spy. It wasn't as challenging though because mister Stuffikins couldn't see as well as she could, that's why he wore his glasses. He kept picking Zoro's bandages and the broken pieces of railing on the deck for some reason.

"Ne, Ussop how much longer?" She called down. The waiting game was never as fun as advertised.

"Should be another hour Char!" He called up from where he was mixing some new Flaming Stars. He used some hot sauce that Johnny had lying around. It would be his ultimate achievement.

"Not to doubt Char-sis, but is it really safe to bring a little kid to such a place?" Johnny asked. Ussop snickered slightly at his disbelieving tone. He had seen Char vanish into thin air, watched as she took down some of Kuro's pirates, personally experienced her mystical illusions as they robbed you of your senses. Char might only be ten, but he figured she was safer than the rest of them.

After all, she had a magic cloak that could turn her invisible and she absolutely refused to share.

"She'll be fine." Zoro grunted. He was busy polishing his one remaining sword. The other two had been broken beyond repair. He was sad to have left them behind, but they'd never been anything special. It did feel a little unsteady though, without three swords on his right hip he felt unbalanced.

"Okay I guess." Johnny shrugged. He remembered something he'd been meaning to ask and turned to Long Nose-bro. "By the way, is she your little sister or Luffy-bro's?"

"She's not my sister or Luffy's!" Ussop screeched. Just the thought made him squirm. Char had no compunctions with using her cloak for the forces of evil, appearing behind innocent sharp shooters without even a whisper of her passing. Not that she ever scared him really, captain Ussop feared no mortal man or woman!

"Eh, really? Then how did she end up on the crew?" He asked. Ussop saw the opportunity and launched into a fantastic tale of abandoned orphans and the brave, noble, handsome captain Ussop who graciously allowed the orphan to come aboard.

"She was on the same island as me when Luffy showed up, I liked her so I asked if she could come too. She wanted to be a pirate pretty badly." Zoro cut in before he could get to the climax. Some people just had no flair for imagination.

"Why did a little kid want to be a pirate?" Johnny asked. It didn't make any sense for such a normal kid to want to end up on the wrong side of the law so soon.

"She says being a pirate is the Ultimate Game, it's her dream." His sempai shrugged, going back to sharpening his gleaming blade.

"Land ho!"


	14. Lines We Never Cross Rule Our Lives

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 14: The Lines We Never Cross Rule Our Lives.

"The fishman strong hold, even from here it looks fierce some." Ussop quivered. Char leaned over the railing, trying to make out the blotch in the distance. Ussop had really amazing eyes to be able to tell it was the fishman strong hold from here. All she could tell was that it was land, and that was with her telescope!

"Fishmen should make a good challenge." Zoro smirked. Char looked up at him and smirked too.

"Do you think they'll be fun to play with?" She asked, taking up her spyglass again. It still didn't come into focus, but at least now she could see some sort of sign. Or maybe it was a giant gate?

"Get him!" She gasped when Johnny and Ussop pushed her back as they quickly subdued and restrained Zoro.

"You assholes! Untie me right now!" The swordsman roared.

"Ne, sorry Zoro, but if we went straight at them like you want to we'd die!" Ussop tried to explain.

"Who cares? Untie me!" Char huffed and shook her head. Boys were so silly. Didn't they understand that if they wanted to get Nami they'd have to rescue her from the fishmen? The fastest way to do that was to go straight ahead!

"HALT! WHO GOES THERE?" Everyone on board froze at the megaphone voice that came over the waves.

"We've been spotted!" Ussop hissed. In a manner of seconds he and Johnny were over the side and gone, leaving a tied up Zoro and a confused Char when the fishmen boarded their boat.

"Those shitty bastards, abandoning us like that." Zoro cursed. Char raced towards him, trying to get around the large fishman that had leapt from the water.

"What's this? A tied up guy and a kid?" He grabbed the back of her cloak before she could vanish. She wiggled in his hold, trying to win herself free.

"Ha, did this little kid capture you sword-guy?" He taunted the swordsman. Char tried to move enough to stab him at a pressure point but he tightened his grip, effectively halting any escape attempts. A cry of pain escaped her lips and she felt the familiar sensation of _not enough air!_

"Let's take them to Arlong, he'll decide what to do with them." The second fishman voiced.

"Fine by me, this kid's being annoying anyway, wiggling like this." He cursed as the girl regained her breath and made another attempt at freedom. He wasn't expecting the words that followed to come from her lips.

"**Hell's Illusion: Fallen Angels!" **The fishman holding her gasped as he noticed that streams of light were falling from the sky. They all seemed to converge, coming closer and closer to landing on him! He tossed the kid away and dodged the falling rocks, trying to stop himself from being crushed, and not noticing the lack of damage being done to the ship around him.

"What the Hell is going on?" The second one panicked. Char coughed and rubbed her throat, trying to gently encourage air to flow into her lungs.

"Hell's the key word here, isn't it?" Her voice sounded gravelly and she coughed again. She staggered to Zoro and tried to find something to cut the bindings with. His sword was tied up with him! "Darn it, Baka-ssop! Why'd he have to tie you up?"

"Forget it, look out!" She whirled around, flinging several tops to try to buy herself some time to get some distance from the fishmen. Three more had arrived in her haste to free her friend and she stood strong as the tops gained power and grew to waist height. That was as good as it was going to get when she hadn't chanted the magic words.

"You're coming with us kid!" Two of them had evaded the tops and they gripped each arm. She growled and lashed out with her feet, aiming for the shins and knee caps. They held her up and delivered punishing blows to her stomach. She doubled over and coughed up spit and blood. Any air she had was gone, and it refused to return.

The trip to kneel before Captain Arlong was a short one, and she'd barely begun to recover. She still had to wheeze for breath and the fishmen had wizened up and gagged her to prevent any more tricks. The downside was that it was difficult to regain one's breath with just the nose.

"So you thought you could invade my capitol alone." Arlong mockingly deduced. "Two puny humans, even one as _special_ as that girl, could never defeat me!"

"Arlong I'm getting tired of listening to you brag all the time." She would've gasped had she the air for it. Nami waltzed into the courtyard, a bo-staff in her hands and money poking out of her pocket. The coldest face she'd ever seen adorned the orange navigator's features.

"Of course I didn't mean you Nami. You've always been a valued member of this crew!" Arlong laughed.

"So that spiel about hating pirates was a lie. You're really on this guy's crew?" Zoro scowled. To think they had come all this way for nothing. The sea-witch had betrayed them, stolen their ship, and was going to leave them to face the fishmen alone.

"A lie? Not hardly." Nami scoffed. "But yes, I was simply using you to get more treasure. I'm a member of the Arlong Pirates." She revealed the blue tattoo on her left shoulder, previously hidden by sleeves.

"Ha, you thought she was your friend, didn't you?" Arlong guffawed. There was nothing funnier than watching some humans fall off their high horse. "This is a girl who betrayed her own flesh and blood for cold, hard cash!"

"What's with you anyway? Looks like you were on the losing end of a fight?" Zoro smirked at the orange haired woman's question. She was a good actor, but she should've stayed quiet.

"What these? I just grabbed them because I didn't have a shirt and didn't want you to get _distracted!_" He could feel Char's confused look and very consciously did not take his eyes off of Nami.

"Peh, pathetic little you? Please!" She growled, folding her arms over her chest.

"Well, Luffy's going to be disappointed, but since you've clearly made up your mind I'll be out of your hair." With that he launched himself backwards, off the platform, and into the water.

Char screamed beneath the gag as he disappeared beneath the surface. Nami wasted no time, dropping her staff and diving into the water. The ten year old fought her way free of her captors and raced to the water's edge, hand automatically reaching for some trick to help, ignoring the gag and her breathing difficulties.

Nami hefted them both to the surface, pinning the panting swordsman beneath her body. She growled at his foolishness but straightened quickly enough.

"Shouldn't you be doing your jobs and locking them up?" She asked the guards.

"Not quite Nami, dear." Arlong interrupted. The fishmen grabbed Char's arms again, squeezing with enough force to make her audibly cry out in pain. A punishment for her little fit a moment ago.

"This kid was _almost_ able to get away from us three times. That little ability of hers could be useful." Zoro mentally cursed and tried to wiggle his way back to an upright position. "Kaneshiro, Take, get this girl our flag. And everyone else, prepare for a celebration tonight to welcome the newest member of the Arlong Pirates."

"You can't do that!" He shouted as they picked her up and carted her away. It took five fishmen to drag him to a cell. Even with the thick stone walls he could hear the sudden piercing scream.

Nami arrived a few minutes later, carrying his sword and tossing it across the room to him. He growled at that but managed to restrain himself from cursing her.

"I'd get Char and get going if I were you." She advised and left. He cut the ropes binding him and then turned in the direction he heard the scream from.

Char shuddered and gulped, half-heartedly tugging at the restraints holding her arm out at a ninety degree angle. She had fainted after the initial scream but had woken quickly enough. Her small chest shuddered with the effort of bringing in good air to her lungs.

She heard the sounds of fighting and hoped that Zoro was okay. She blinked tears from her eyes and forced herself to breathe evenly. She needed to get free, get her cloak, find Zoro, and leave. The first step to that was to stop being a baby about her arm.

"Char!" She heard Zoro calling for her.

"In here." She whimpered. What sort of yell was that? She did better than that when she had the flu and a sore throat! "Here!" Better but what if he was getting further away? She had to yell louder!

"ZOROOOO!" She cried, letting a bit of a sob bite into her voice. The door caved in, sliced to pieces by an impatient swipe of a sword. He wasted no time looking cool, cutting the leather restraints holding her down and inspecting the mark burned onto her arm.

A sideways sword fish with the tail turned inward adorned her left shoulder, identical to the one Nami had revealed. The only visible difference was the unhealed burns on the edges and the lack of color. Where's Nami's had been blue no one had added color to Char's. It was just an ugly black mark.

"Come on." He said gruffly. The effect was somewhat ruined when he began piggy backing her outside to the courtyard, being careful not to agitate her arm while he took down the fishmen left to guard Arlong's Park.

Char let him set her down next to Arlong's throne. She sat on one of the arms while he leaned back, looking over the carnage he had caused. She stuck out her arm and winced at the pulling skin. She wanted to block the pain in her arm but she knew it would come back eventually, and she couldn't be sure that everything would be fine in three hours.

"Well this is a problem. What are we supposed to do now?" Zoro huffed. She felt bad about being a baby when his bandages had slipped and blood had stained through the white linen.

"I guess wait for Luffy." She sighed. They both looked up when they heard someone making some noise over the wall. Char got up with Zoro, pulling up her hood and gripping the edge of the Hawaiian shirt that Zoro had taken from one of the fishmen to let him know where she was.

"Oi, do you know where Arlong is?" Zoro asked the strange octopus man on the other side of the wall.

"Oh? Who are you? Could you be a guest of Arlong-san?" The octopus man wondered.

"Arlong left to go to Cocoyashi village. I can give you a ride in my barrel if you want!" He offered politely. Char tip toed behind Zoro, getting into the barrel as quietly and carefully as she could. If the octopus noticed the extra weight he didn't say anything. On the ride to the village he introduced himself as Hatchan, he was a swordsman, and he started talking about anything that crossed his mind.

Char sort of wished she could talk to him. He didn't seem very scary, and he wasn't being mean to Zoro. She didn't want to reveal herself though, so she kept quiet and invisible. The sharp throb of her left arm was reminder enough, and all the warning she needed to stay out of sight.

"Here we are! Cocoyashi village!" He announced as they pulled up to the docks of a small village on the other side of the island. Char climbed out first, using her advanced balance to avoid detection by the octopus man.

"Hmm, that's strange. I guess Arlong-san must have started back to Cocoyashi already." He pondered. Some buildings had been torn down, the people probably hadn't been able to pay the monthly tax, or had been hiding weapons.

"Do you want to go back to Arlong Park and wait for him there?" He asked the green haired swordsman.

"No, but thank you. I'll just take a look around." Zoro turned him down.

"Alrighty then! Bye!" He waved before jumping back into the water, tugging his barrel along behind him and soon rounding out of sight from the docks.

"He's gone." To an outsider it might appear that he spoke to thin air. Between one blink and the next though a young girl had appeared beside him, her blue-grey cloak swaying slightly in the breeze.

"We should ask around about Johnny and Ussop." He stated, turning to start heading into the village proper.

"Excuse me," He stopped a strange man with many scars covering his body. The scars contrasted greatly with the colorful pinwheel attached to his hat. "Have you seen a guy with a long nose running around?"

"Oh yes, everyone saw him. A shame what happened. Arlong's men apparently found him and took him away to Arlong Park." The old man sighed. "I'd advise against going to Arlong and asking for his life, that's liable to get you killed as well."

"Nani!?" Zoro groaned. He would've cursed too but he really didn't want to set a bad example for Char. Unfortunately his aborted face palm movement drew attention to the girl standing behind him and to the side.

"T-That mark!" Genzo gasped, seeing the familiar curl of a brand on that girl's arm. He had never considered the fact that there might be more children like Nami out there, and yet here he was seeing a girl who couldn't be more than a year or two older than Nami was when she was stolen into that Arlong's crew.

Char flinched at the reminder and gingerly pulled her cloak to cover that shoulder. The cloth rubbed against it though, so she had to pull it back again.

"Um, hi." She half heartedly waved. "My name's Char."

"I'm Genzo. That looks painful." He commented, gesturing to her mark.

"T-They did it a little while ago. I snuck out with Zoro." She mumbled, kicking up some dust.

"We're going to have to go save Ussop." Zoro reminded her. "Damn, you'd think he'd be able to stay out of trouble."

"Zoro-san, you can't seriously think to take a child with you if you must save your friend!" Genzo cut in. "Especially if Arlong's crew has taken her against her will like this! They'll stop at nothing to get her now that she bears their mark!"

"I don't want to join their crew Zoro!" She whimpered, gripping him gently around the middle. She didn't want to hurt him but she _did_ need a hug.

"You can just turn invisible to hide from them." He pointed out. Char blinked for a minute before grinning sheepishly. She had already forgotten about that. Fishmen couldn't see things that were invisible, and if she was careful there was no reason for them to know she'd been there.

"Okay!" She pumped her uninjured arm. "Let's save Ussop-baka!" They took off running, ignoring Genzo's surprised shouts behind them. Her legs pounded the dirt road for a few minutes as they travelled in silence. If they didn't hurry they might hurt Ussop, or find out about his awesome sniper skills and brand him _too!_

"aaahhh!" She blinked and looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. It sounded like far off yelling.

"Zoro, do you hear that?" She asked, panting a bit with the effort of keeping up with him.

"It's probably-!" He cut himself off as the shouts gained in intensity. His brows knit together as he tried to figure out where it was coming from. Not behind or ahead of them, it sounded almost like it was coming from _above_ them but that had to be impossible. "SHIT!"

"ZOROOOO! CHAAAARRR!" Horrified, they both turned their heads upwards. A small ship was falling from the sky, on a direct collision course with them. Aboard it was a maniacally grinning Luffy, waving with both hands, the blonde cook from the Beratie, and Yosaku.

"Owie! Owie! Owie! Owie! Owie!" Not ten seconds later Char had begun her pain filled chant, rocking back and forth and gripping her arm which had been mercilessly pounded into the dirt. The entire thing burned now and she didn't want to even _think_ about using it for any hand springs.

"You idiot!" Zoro smacked his rubbery captain upside the head a few times for measure. Being run over by a small ship was not a pleasant experience, that was for certain. Hearing Char's high pitched cries certainly didn't help matters.

"Ah, Char-sis, what's that thing on your arm?" Yosaku asked, gently taking it out to inspect it. He gulped when he caught a good look of the thing and recognized it. "A-Arlong's pirate mark!"


	15. The Rules of Right and Wrong

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 15: The Rule of Rights and Wrongs.

"He knew I could do illusions, so he wanted to shang hai me into his crew." She explained. Her arm was going to be bugging her for sure now. She hoped they got to the fight soon so she'd have an excuse to block the pain.

"Forget it for a minute, we have to go and save Ussop!" Zoro interrupted.

"Arlong has him!?" Yosaku gasped, standing to full attention. His hand mechanically shifted closer to his sword hilt. They didn't have any word of Johnny. He hoped his friend and partner was alright.

"Not anymore." As one body they swerved to look down the road. Johnny staggered in their direction. He didn't look injured or tired, but his bowed head spoke of shock. "Nami killed him."

"Don't lie!" Luffy snapped, grabbing the shaded man by the front of his shirt. The anger poured off of him in waves. Char shivered, unable to comprehend what was going on. Ussop couldn't be dead. They'd _know_ if he were dead! He was their friend! Nami might leave them behind, maybe, but she'd _never_ betray them like this!

"I'm not lying! I saw it happen with my own eyes!" Johnny protested. He didn't fight the grip Luffy had on him.

"He's telling the truth, I did kill him." They looked beyond Johnny and for the first time noticed the orange haired woman approaching them. Her eyes were cold, her face closed off from them. She really did look like she had just committed a murder.

"You _witch!_" Zoro sprang forward, unsheathing his last sword. Before he could bring it down on the stunned woman he was blocked by a black shoe.

"Who do you think you are to strike a lady, you brute?" Sanji sneered. Char felt like pulling her hair out by the roots. She couldn't keep track of what was going on anymore. It felt like a nightmare.

"You should take this opportunity to get off this island." Nami advised, walking past their group on the way to the village. "Arlong wants Roronoa Zoro and anyone with him killed, and he wants Char as a member of his crew. He'll stop at nothing to have her." She stopped and looked at the ten year old.

"I'd run now, before he chains you down." She turned now to look at Luffy.

"This place has nothing to do with you. You don't know anyone here. You might as well leave now and save yourselves from Arlong's wrath." She could tell he wasn't convinced. "You might fight like a monster, but you're no match for the real thing."

Luffy hummed in thought. His mind was made up and nothing on this good blue Earth was going to make him change it. It was with a sort of disbelieving acknowledgement when rather than order a retreat, he fell onto his back.

"What are you doing?" Nami demanded.

"I'm sleepy, so I'm taking a nap." He explained for their benefit. His intent was clear. He wasn't going to be moved from that spot a single second before he was ready to move.

"_Fine then!_ See if I care!" She stormed off.

Char sighed and sat down beside her captain. This day hadn't gone at all like she'd thought it would. Judging from the Sun she was forced to conclude there were still several hours left before the day was done with them. She was half afraid to find out what else the day had in store. She took mister Stuffikins from her bag and clutched him close. She hoped the world would start working right again soon.

"Phe, we're wasting our time with that woman." Zoro muttered.

"What did you say? Marimo-head?" Sanji limited himself in the presence of a little lady.

"Why did you stop me earlier, you curly browed freak?" Zoro responded in kind. "You heard her confess!"

Zoro and Sanji leapt into a fight then. Char sighed and inspected her arm. Johnny and Yosaku left, saying their farewells. It had been a fun time but they weren't willing to play for keeps. She waved them off and promised she'd be careful. She hunkered down by Luffy and closed her eyes for a quick nap.

"USSOP! What happened? Did Nami do this?" She jumped awake and automatically brought out her whip to defend herself. Her heart leapt into her throat as she saw who Luffy was pulling to his feet.

"Ussop, you're alive!" She cheered, tackling him with a bear hug.

"Nami didn't really kill me!" He declared obviously. "She faked my death so I could escape Arlong Park!"

"Mellorine! Who is this lovely lady?" Sanji gushed upon noticing a blue haired damsel with tribal tattoos on her shoulder and chest.

"That's Nojiko, she's Nami's big sister!" Ussop made the introductions. He tried to go into his heroic story of saving her from the monstrous fishmen but everyone else was too busy to listen.

"If you guys are really her friends, then you'll leave now while you still can." Nojiko said gravely. "Nami has worked for years for one goal."

"Worked for Arlong? What's worth that?" Zoro asked skeptically. The guy wasn't on his good side at the moment.

"If I tell you will you agree to leave her alone?" Nojiko asked in return. Luffy jumped to his feet, surprising everyone as he'd been listening quietly until then.

"Where are you going?" Nojiko asked. Luffy had started walking to the village. Char had fallen into step behind him, positioning her cloak to cover her mark.

"I don't want to listen, so I'm going for a walk." He answered. Char grinned and put her finger to her lips to signal for silence. She pulled up her hood and vanished from sight, much to Nojiko's surprise.

"W-Where did she go?" She whispered. Her eyes darted around, she even looked behind her in case the girl had miraculously teleported. There was no sign of the ebony haired child any longer.

"That Char, she likes to play the vanishing act." Ussop chuckled, playing it cool. He couldn't see any sign of her passing but he could place a pretty good guess that Char was following their captain. Someone had to make sure he didn't get into trouble!

Char followed in Luffy's shadow, carefully stepping only where he had to hide any trace of her passing. The path didn't have much on it, it was the only road from the village to Arlong Park, and no one had seen fit to add anything to the land here. No one wanted to be too close to the fishmen. As much good as distance did.

Two fishmen came from the direction of the village. Char gulped and clutched her hood to make sure no stray gust of wind would knock it down and reveal her. Luffy wouldn't let someone steal her away but she felt safer knowing no one could see her.

"Hey, Human!" One stopped them just as Luffy and Char had walked right past them. Luffy turned around to face the two fishmen.

"What are you doing here?" He questioned. He didn't recognize this human from the village, and after eight years he fancied that he knew each and every one. The boy wore a red vest and a straw hat upon his head. There was a scar under his left eye.

"Just taking a walk." Luffy answered. "Why?"

"Well, we don't get a lot of visitors around here." The fishman shrugged. It didn't really matter, but he thought it was interesting that there was still traffic to and from the village.

"I see. Well, bye!" Luffy hummed. The two fishmen turned and continued their journey back to Arlong Park. Arlong had been pretty upset about Roronoa stealing away that illusion girl and then injuring so many men.

Char breathed a silent sigh of relief as the fishmen walked away. She didn't risk throwing down her hood once the two were out of sight. Being invisible was good, even if she didn't want to play hide and seek. She made sure to be behind and slightly to the side of her captain, who didn't miss a beat beyond flashing a toothy grin in her general direction.

They both stopped in the middle of the road when they saw a small squad of marines go by at the cross section ahead. She watched them go and wondered why they let mean fishmen stick around here and hurt these people but they wanted to arrest _nice_ pirates like her crew! The marines just never made sense to her!

"That guy…" Luffy muttered. She looked up at him and tried to follow his line of sight. Was he talking about the rat-man? "He has a pinwheel on his head!" Oh, he was talking about Genzo! Yeah, the pinwheel was pretty cool. It made him look less scary in her own opinion. She wondered why he started wearing the pinwheel. Where did everyone keep getting the cool hats?

"It looks cool." She agreed. She decided to follow the marines to see what they were up to. They didn't even turn around to see if anyone was following them. Marines were weird about staying in formation like that. She wondered if it was a rule for marines not to do anything if no one else was doing it first.

"No need to worry miss Nami, since you only stole from pirates you won't be held accountable for all this stolen merchandise!" The rat-man was sneering. Nami growled and hefted her staff, tensing in preparation for smacking the marine captain for trying to take the treasure she had worked eight years to collect.

"Men, tear up this orange field until you find the treasure!" He ordered. Char gasped in her hiding place behind an orange tree as Genzo, Nojiko, and Nami tried to stop the men from tearing the trees up by their roots. They were destroying the place, knocking down the unripe fruit and killing the trees!

"Stop this!" Nojiko screamed, trying to grab two marines at once to pull them away from some of the almost ready to harvest trees.

A shot rang out and the rat-man was left holding the smoking gun. Nojiko cried out in pain as blood exploded from her shoulder and she slumped to the ground. Nami called her sister's name but it was overshadowed by the sudden call from one of the marines. They had found the treasure.

"Excellent work men." Rat-face sneered. Char kept her hood up now as she stalked forward. Nami might have left the crew, but she did save Ussop and she was still a friend. No one deserved for this to happen. She was going to get that Rat-face back good!

There was a moment when everyone turned their backs momentarily to the huge deposit of gold when Genzo and Nami began running to the village for a doctor. Char came from her hiding spot and threw her cloak over the treasure, whispering the spell to weave the illusion to cover whatever the cloak didn't reach.

"Day's illusion: Chameleon paint." She finished and then ducked into some bushes. She wiped her sweaty forehead and grimaced. She had used a lot of illusions today, and she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. She'd really have to stick with using toys if they fought later.

"The treasure is gone!" Rat-face shrieked. Char winced and clapped her hands over her ears. He sounded like a squeaky rodent. It kind of hurt to listen to him go on and on about how he _only turned around for a second!_

_He's a baka, trying to do that._ Nami, Genzo, and Nojiko were gone though. Char huffed and quietly placed another illusion on herself to look like a marine until she could get back to the village.

She saw Nami there standing with her arms outstretched, trying to stop a large angry mob from going down the road to Arlong Park. She stopped and searched for her crewmates. She could see Zoro, Sanji, and Ussop standing off by some trees. She worked her way around the mob, listening to find out what was going on.

"Everyone, it'll be okay. I can get the money again!" Nami was trying to convince them. Why was the money so important to everyone else? She thought it just belonged to Nami and Nojiko and maybe Genzo, since he'd been there protecting it too.

"No, Nami." Genzo stated, placing his large hand on her head. "You've done enough." He turned to the crowd.

"Today, it's our turn to fight for our village!" The crowd cheered this sentiment. She finally reached her friends and let the illusion drop. Zoro was the only one who noticed her return and he said nothing. They continued to watch as the crowd left Nami behind, heading towards the fishman residence.

Nami stood in numb shock. Eight years had gone towards someday setting everyone she loved free. The marines had taken the treasure, the hole was empty. She had failed Bellemere.

She collapsed to her knees at the last thought. Bellemere had taken her in, been her mother for years, and now she'd failed to save the home Bellemere loved! And the people were going off to die against Arlong! There was no one who could stand against him and survive! They'd been lucky all these years that she'd brought back enough to keep everyone paid for, but it was going to be wasted today.

She realized she was clutching and glaring at her tattoo. She had hated the thing from day one. Her eyes had blurred with tears and she could barely make out the circular design. It still sent shivers of hatred coursing through her veins. She hated everything this mark represented.

"Arlong!" She couldn't strike at him directly. Hadn't she tried it enough times? "Arlong! Arlong! Arlong!" The pain from the knife in her hand barely registered. If this was the only way she could strike back at him, through the cursed mark he forced on her years ago, then she'd take it. "_Arlong!_"

Luffy caught her hand before she could bring it down for another blow. Blood poured freely from the many cuts. The mark was disfigured, nearly unrecognizable. It wasn't enough though, and she turned on him.

"I told you this had nothing to do with you!" She shouted at him.

"Yeah, you did." He acknowledged.

"I told you to leave!"

"Yeah, you did." He repeated.

"So get going! Leave!" She cried, throwing some dirt behind her at him. "Leave! Leave! Leave!" She choked off with a sob.

"Luffy," She sobbed, she could barely force the words out. "Help me!" She felt the feather light weight of a familiar straw hat alight on her head.

"Of course I will!" He declared. He turned on his heel and walked towards the rest of his crew. Sanji, his newest member, Ussop, his sniper, Zoro, his swordsman, Char, his illusionist, all stood waiting for his order. "Arlong's gonna pay!"

"**AYE!**" Came the resounding cry.

They set off at a fast march, catching up with the crowd that had come to the wall. Luffy led them right through the crowd. It parted like the red seas, letting the strangers go forward. One girl bore the mark of their enemy, but the hand gripping her weapon was steady. Luffy leveled his fist, and brought it crashing into the stone wall.

"Which one of you is Arlong?" Char had to admire her captain's flair. His eyes were almost shadowed completely by his bangs, and with the pose he'd landed that made it abundantly clear who had knocked down his wall he had won several points.

"Who wants to know?" A swordfish-man asked, standing to full height.

"Monkey D. Luffy." Her captain introduced himself with a restrained nod. He clearly wasn't happy. Char wondered if she'd ever seen him so angry before, and had to conclude that she had not.

_If I had, I don't think I would have forgotten it._ It was a frightening thing to behold, seeing her normally cheerful captain so tightlipped.

"I'm here to kick your ass." She forced herself to relax. The fight was about to start and she needed to be ready. From a quick headcount she knew at least fifteen fishmen were here. That included Arlong, Hatchan, and the two who had dragged her off to be branded. Hatchan was a swordsman, so Zoro would probably be the one to fight him. She, Sanji, and Ussop would divide the rest amongst themselves.

"That's far enough buddy." Two fishmen tried to stop Luffy from approaching Arlong. Char smirked and watched through half-lidded eyes as Luffy knocked them out by smacking their heads together. When Luffy's next punch tossed Arlong into the wall, she full on grinned.

"That's for making our navigator cry!" He informed them. Arlong scoffed and stood back up. He turned to his men, telling them to fight!

"Oh yeah, while you kill the rest of them be sure to grab the little girl! She's our new crewmate, remember?" He reminded his men. They laughed and smirked, eyeing the child who stood against them beside the boys.

"I'm not your crewmate!" She yelled at them. A brand didn't mean they owned her. She was already conscripted aboard the Straw Hat pirates ship. Her captain was Luffy, the future Pirate King! She could accept _no other!_

"Bastard, LET'S FIGHT!" Luffy shouted. Char realized she had started to grin in anticipation.

"_Char, your captain is as good as your God. You will follow him into battle and preach his word." Jo lectured a five year old. _

"_What if you don't like him?" She asked._

"_Ha, that's not possible Char." Jo grinned. "Mom told me that no Red Lady has ever gotten into the service of a captain she didn't like. When you find your captain, you'll know."_

"_Because you'll follow a step behind them into Hell, and realize you're grinning all the way."_


	16. The Rules Managed by Sleight of Hand

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 16: The Rules Managed By Sleight of Hand.

"Things make sense now, you want to take Nami because of her special skills." Arlong spoke, ignoring Luffy's challenge. "Well you can't have her, and we'll be taking the kid too."

"Attack him men!" The fishmen roared. Char continued to smirk as Sanji leapt forward, kicking back five fishmen with ease.

"Why did you go ahead of us?" He scolded their captain, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

"I can take these guys." Luffy huffed. Char had to agree, the regular fishmen didn't seem to be all that strong.

"Who said anything about being worried? I just don't want you to hog it all." Sanji cursed. Luffy made and Oh sound and nodded. Char walked forward with Zoro and Ussop, aware of every eye following their move.

"I-I just want to say," Ussop started. "I don't mind if you hog it all." She grinned up at him in pleasure. The more she could trap in her illusions the more _fun_ this next game would be.

"I see you're raring to go, as usual." Zoro snarked to the long nose boy. _Raring to go all the way home._ He added in his mind.

"Ha, you jokers don't stand a chance against us!" Hatchan boasted, stepping nearer to the water. Char gaped in amazement as he began playing his long mouth like a trumpet. She hadn't known fishmen could do that!

_How come we don't have trumpet mouths?_ She asked herself irritably. It would be so cool to trumpet their arrival to every island!

"You're all about to become fish food!" He declared once the water had started to froth as some great beast approached. "Rise, Mohmoo!" Char gulped and held her whip as she might hold a teddy bear, as though clutching it tightly enough would shield her from whatever monster was rising from the water.

_Maybe I should've kept my cloak? But without it the chameleon illusion won't hold when I'm far away._ The thing came rushing out of the water and she automatically drew back her arm, ready to defend herself.

…_It has a booboo._ Was her first impression on the great sea cow. She'd heard of such monsters being on the Grand Line but she'd never actually seen one before. This one didn't look very scary. It had a huge bump on its head and was crying.

"Aww, poor baby cow." She crooned, dropping the arm that held the whip. She didn't think she had any band aids big enough for that bump.

"Poor baby cow? Don't you mean poor _us?_" Ussop demanded. "That thing destroyed a whole village!"

"But it's got a booboo!" She protested, pointing to the red bump. Mohmoo lowed deep in his throat, shaking in fear. Char could see some recognition in its eyes as it stared straight at Luffy and Sanji.

"It's him again." Luffy noticed, unimpressed with the giant creature looming over them.

"Yeah." Sanji hummed, blowing a small ring of smoke into the air.

Char watched as Mohmoo seemed to shake even harder, tears gushing from his eyes. He looked really scared of something but she couldn't figure out what he was so afraid of. Luffy and Sanji weren't scary, the fishmen were. She pouted when it turned around and began to leave before she could pet it.

"Leaving so soon, Mohmoo?" Arlong growled. The sea king froze in its tracks, entranced by the words spilling from Arlong's cursed lips. "Well don't let me stop you from _running away._"

Char glared at the mean fishman. He shouldn't be so mean with Mohmoo! Especially since the baby cow was hurt! Didn't he _care_ how scared Mohmoo was! She stomped her foot as he made Mohmoo turn around and charge them.

"Bring it!" Luffy challenged the sea king. He stuck up one leg and brought it crashing down, anchoring himself to the cement. He did the same with his other leg and began to twist his torso around as Mohmoo drew closer.

"Looks like he has a plan for once." Sanji noticed, watching the strange preparation.

"I got a bad feeling about this." Zoro muttered. Char didn't say anything, eagerly watching to see what sort of move Luffy was going to use. She grinned and nearly bounced on the spot with excitement.

"Time for something NEW!" Luffy roared, gripping Mohmoo's horns and causing the creature to begin crying again. Miraculously the animal began to rise fully out of the water as Luffy started spinning.

"Gomu gomu no PINWHEEL!" Mohmoo was dragged by Luffy, knocking aside the fishmen and anyone else who stood in the "kill" zone.

"Let's get out of here!" Zoro yelled, grabbing Char and making a dive behind the corner of the Arlong building with Sanji and Ussop. "What the hell? Does he want to kill _us_ too?"

"That shitty rubberhead!" Sanji agreed. Char rubbed the arm Zoro had used to drag her. Luffy needed to improve that move so he didn't hit allies.

"ARLONG! I didn't come here to kick your mooks' asses! I came to kick _your_ ass!" Luffy screamed, apparently done with his spinning move of death. Char led the others back to their captain, who had remained in the same spot but had twisted to address the big fishman in charge.

"Fair enough, I've just been sitting here thinking about the painful death I'm going to cause you." Arlong snarled. Char did a head count and noticed that eight fishmen seemed to be still standing, while everyone else was knocked out.

"Oi, were you trying to kill us too?" Sanji asked, tapping the rubber skull with the hard sole of his shoe.

"Uh-oh." Luffy muttered, not even reacting to shoe. "Um, guys? I need to tell you something."

"Here Arlong, don't bother getting up. We'll handle this, Chuu." The big-lipped fishman reassured Arlong. "If you go on one of your rampages Arlong park might not survive."

"Allow us to kill to these weaklings!" Hatchan shouted.

"Very well, knock yourselves out." With Arlong's blessing Hatchan stepped up.

"Let's see if you can handle this!" Hatchan interrupted, swelling his chest for some strange purpose. Char was torn between watching the enemies and trying to listen to Luffy.

"What is he doing?" Zoro muttered.

"Guys, really you need to listen." Luffy tried to regain their attention.

"What's wrong Luffy?" Char asked, tugging on his vest to get his attention.

"Ink splash attack!" Hatchan let loose a long stream of jet black ink. Zoro and Sanji dodged the spray while Char leapt behind the unmoving Luffy.

"You idiot! Why didn't you dodge it?" Zoro shouted at them both. Char came out from behind Luffy, wiping away the stuff on her clothes and frowning. This shirt used to be a solid blue color, with a teddy bear on the front, and now it had a big black splotch on it.

"AAAHHH! I CAN'T SEE SQUAT!" Luffy screamed in pain, rubbing vainly at his eyes. Char jumped onto his back and started rubbing away the ink with a corner of her shirt.

"This is my Ink Jet on the Rocks!" Hatchan chortled, lifting a huge section of the broken wall over his head and threatening to slam it down on top of them.

"Move you two!" Zoro ordered. Char knew what the problem now was though. Luffy's legs had been stomped into the cement. They were _stuck!_

"My feet are stuck!" Luffy informed the others. Char hopped down and tried pulling one of his legs out of the rock. The leg was slippery from the ink and kept stretching though, it wouldn't come loose!

"We're gonna get squished!" She screamed, seeing the huge shadow of the rock over take them. Just when she thought she was about to become a stepped on bug, there was a huge crack sound.

She opened her eyes and stared. In the single second it took for her eyes to slam shut in fear, Sanji had arrived. His leg was stick stuck up high in the air from where it kicked the rock. His suit wasn't even ruffled from the sprint to reach them.

"Only a true monster would attack a little lady like Char-chan." He growled at the octopus. "And as for Luffy, man I chose to follow one _idiot_ of a captain."

"We all did." Zoro sighed, relieved that his captain and crewmate hadn't been squished.

"Octopus should be sliced thinly, add some paprika and it makes a nice snack while drinking." Sanji mused. Char wondered if he was really planning on turning Hatchan into food. Despite her vow to always clean her plate Char wasn't entirely sure she could eat something she knew used to talk.

"Even Luffy is better than a gang that would hurt a lady." He sighed.

"You've run straight into the jaws of death for one lousy lady?" The fishman with strange fins on his arms scoffed. "Chivalry from a pirate, sounds like some lame hoax to me."

"Lousy? Listen _pal,_" He spat the word as though it left a bad taste in his mouth at the very idea. "If you insult Nami or Char again I'll have to turn you from a fish_man_ into fish _sticks._" He smirked. "We understand each other?"

"Don't make me laugh! Your skills might be exceptional for a human but I'm about to school you in the differences of our species." Kuroobi laughed at the ridiculous idea.

"Oh yeah?" Char and Ussop had snuck forward to try to free Luffy. Ussop began dragging Luffy's body away from the sight where his legs were caught. Char helped by planting her feet to stop his rubber body from bouncing back into position.

"Get unstuck! Get unstuck!" Ussop chanted, pulling further and further away.

"No good, even if we pulled all day and night I'd still be stuck." Luffy commented. Char frowned and smacked his hand to make him stop picking his nose.

"You're not a kid! Only little babies pick their noses!" She scolded him.

"Are you two even trying?!" Ussop demanded. His attention was drawn away by Zoro distracting Hatchan from attacking them. "Yeah, good on you Zoro. Go ahead and take the octopus guy." He gave a small thumbs up and only realized his mistake when Luffy and Char went flying back the way they came.

"AAAHHH!" Char lost her grip and went flying towards the four fishmen beside Arlong.

"Ha, well lookie what we have here!" One of them laughed after snatching her out of thin air. Char gasped for a minute, blinked, and then shined her best _I'm just an innocent kid_ smile.

"Do you want to play with me? Since my friends are busy and all?" She asked them sweetly. She gestured behind her to where Luffy was back in the same position and Ussop was running away from the big-lipped fishman.

"Play? Ha, you really are just a little kid aren't ya?" They laughed. Char nodded in agreement.

"Yep, I'm a little kid. Do you want to know what little kids are best at?" She asked them. They blinked in confusion, unused to such casualty from their prey. "Imagination, of course!"

"Day's Illusion: Planetary Alignment!" She threw three marbles into the air and clamped her eyes shut.

"Gah! My eyes!" "I can't see!" They shouted, dropping her in favor of rubbing their abused eyes. Char broke the illusion and scooped up the marbles.

"You'll pay for that kid!" They were distracted by Arlong's announcement of a new game. Char watched him quizzically as he first lifted Luffy up by breaking apart a large piece of concrete, raising him over his head.

"You bastard! Gomu gomu no Pistol!" Luffy shouted. Char winced as the punch that should've knocked out a few teeth was instead caught by the shark-like fangs. Luffy cried out in pain before taking matters into his own hands and biting Arlong back. The effect wasn't as good, fishmen had thicker skin so he couldn't break the surface.

"Did you really think that would work?" He boasted. "Did you know those with a Devil Fruit can't swim, but _anyone_ caught in this position would just sink to the bottom!" He laughed and hefted Luffy into the water.

"Luffy!" She yelled, turning her back on her opponents to try to reach the water's edge. Sanji had the same idea but Zoro stopped both of them.

"Don't play into their hands!" He snapped at both. "They _want_ us to go in the water, they have a direct advantage there!"

"But what about Luffy?" Char asked. She could see where some bubbles had surfaced where Luffy had fallen in. How long could he hold his breath?

"We'll just have to beat our opponents at the same time, and then save him." Zoro told her.

"Right." She nodded.

"It's not going to be that easy!" The fishmen taunted.

"So that's the game!" Hatchan laughed.

"You can take the fish." Zoro told Sanji.

"You dice and trim the octopus." Sanji told him in kind.

"I'll have the rest running in circles." Char promised.

"Let's go, we'll take them out in five seconds flat!" Zoro started forward, leading their charge.

"We don't have longer than three seconds." Sanji corrected him. Sanji met forces with the fishman with fins on his arms while Zoro dodged a spray of ink from Hatchan. Char pulled out two lengths of ribbon from her trick bag and faced her challengers, who had unfortunately recovered from her blinding attack earlier.

"Time to play!" She growled seriously.

"It isn't going to be much of a match, even if it was one on one!" The first one laughed at her.

**Hell's Illusion: Fire Lash!"** She pivoted on the spot and began spinning, sending the flame covered ribbons at her opponents. It struck one of them, causing flames to erupt all over his body! She slowed to a halt to watch the reactions of the remaining three.

"AAHHH! It burns!" The victim cried. He fell limp against the ground, the flames still appearing to dance across his body.

"W-What the hell are you?" The second fishman demanded of the devil child before him.

"I am Char, of the Red Lady Line, descendent of the first female pirate!" She declared, whipping the ribbons around. "And you are all my toys."

"You brat! You're gonna pay!" The third one shouted, charging at her.

Char leapt into action, jumping backwards and playing a short tune on her bubble flute. She hopped onto the bubble which floated above the fishmen's reach. From there she stood, precariously balanced and staring down at them, at the same time able to see how the others' fights were going.

Zoro stumbled in her view and she clenched her teeth. Sanji was busy with his fight, and she had her own battle. She'd have to hope he could stand his ground for a while longer.

"**Hell's Illusion: Lonely Top!" **She intoned, throwing one of her many tops at the three fishmen below her. They scrambled out of the way, trying to avoid the top's path of destruction. She smirked and leapt on top of the one who walked beneath her bubble, landing firmly on his back.

Two pokes to the back of the neck and then one to the temple, he collapsed like a puppet with cut strings. She leapt back up to her bubble and cancelled the illusion before the other two wised up.

"This is round three now and I'm two points ahead." She informed them. They caught sight of their fallen brother and roared in outrage. How dare this human child be capable of taking them down?

"You bitch!" Their curses fell short of her ears. Her attention had been turned to where Sanji had been punched straight through the wall, leaving a large hole next to the crowd of villagers. This sight filled her with anger. She didn't want her friends hurt!

The fishmen broke themselves off, staring in shock and awe. The previously clear bubble had been tainted by her shadows, rippling in an unnatural way. What was this monster going to unleash on them now?

"…Night's Illusion: Last Stand!" She tossed throwing knives at the fishmen, transforming them into flaming arrows that pinned both of them down. She took this chance to disable them, knocking them out with three blows each until she was the last one standing.

"Game over." She panted. She turned to where she had last seen Zoro. He was falling from the sky, in the path of the swinging blades of the octopus. Her eyes widened and she shook, not daring to blink for fear that she might miss something.

And then Zoro not only landed safely, dodging each and every blade, but he also cut up Hatchan's hands and fingers, knocking him to the ground. He was the victor.

Char's shoulders slumped in relief. Zoro was hurting from the wound Hawk-eye gave him, but he was alive. They still needed to save Luffy.

His next move finished him off. Dragon Twister sent Hatchan flying, landing awkwardly on a pile of rubble. Zoro panted from the exertion, sweat dripping from his brow. She bit her lip and blew out a few more bubbles to make a path over the water so she could reach him.

"Zoro?" She landed by his side. He looked over the edge of the water, choosing not to reply. They had to save Luffy.


	17. The Five Second Rule

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

A/N: Hey peoples of the world! I have Fanart now! WHOOP WHOOP! Fanart!

Chapter 17: The Five Second Rule.

"Don't even think about it. If you get in the water you're going to die." Sanji told him.

"Luffy's going to run out of air!" Zoro argued.

"I know," Char watched in confusion as he took of his shoes. "That's why you should leave it up to me!"

Char yelped as she was splashed by the cold water. She took down the arm that shielded her eyes from the spray, watching the ripples from Sanji's dive. She knew he was really strong, he'd be able to break that big rock that was holding Luffy down, and then carry him back to the surface!

"Not so fast!" Kuroobi laughed as he launched himself into the water.

"You fool! They _wanted_ to fight us in the water!" Zoro screamed.

"Ahhaahahahahaa!" Arlong cackled. Char turned her glare on him. How could he just laugh like this? She'd never _seen_ such an evil man before!

_He's going to be surprised when Sanji kicks that guy's butt._ She decided. It was really only a matter of time! It was obvious that her crew would be the winners of this game. Arlong was the bad guy and Luffy was the good guy, everyone knew the good guys always won. It was a rule of the universe!

"How long can he hold his breath?" Arlong asked jokingly. "Humans really are such pathetic creatures, not even able to breathe underwater!" She stuck out her tongue and clenched her fists together. She wasn't sure if she had enough strength left over for anymore illusions. And she needed to be ready in case Arlong cheated and attacked Zoro or something.

_Derek held the hand of his youngest daughter. Char had made it through nine years of her life, and today they were saying good bye and good luck to his next youngest, Germaine. With his wife dead and gone these last five years he found himself clinging tightly to his children._

_The ship had finally moved out of sight over the horizon. He sighed and stood up, intending to lead them back to their _too-big too-empty_ home. He paused when Char didn't get up to follow his lead. _

_She kicked her feet under the docks as children so often did, staring out to sea with such open longing. She was still at that age where boys were playmates at best, and coodie infested at worst, but he could see where she'd follow her sisters into becoming a beautiful young woman._

_If she lived that long. He had stopped counting the times he'd had to breathe for his own daughter after she was five. It had tapered off more or less since then. Sometimes the breathless fits would ease themselves. _

_Every female in their family became a pirate. It was as inescapable as the sunrise, set in stone. There hadn't been a lady yet who hadn't dyed her lips red._

_Marrying Flora was something he could never regret. They'd had so many good times together, and then the first of their daughters had arrived and life had just kept going on. Saying good bye was always hard but he could no more keep them at home then he could tame the blues themselves._

"_Char?" He knelt beside her and saw her smile. It was big and happy and as full of life as any child. She smiled out at the sea and her eyes were far away. "What are you thinking?"_

"_I can't _wait!_" And he smiled too, because he could already see her standing in the crow's nest of whatever ship she ventured on, looking out at the sea as she played that Ultimate Game._

Sanji burst through the surface, gasping for breath and scrambling for a hand hold. He coughed and turned to look at the deceptively still waters.

"Come on out you bastard! I want to fight where I can breathe!" Char grinned as Kuroobi took up the challenge. He launched himself from the water and began boasting of his fishman karate.

"Go Sanji!" She cheered from the sidelines with Zoro.

"You poor fool, your so called love can't possibly compare to my fishman-Urk!" Sanji had launched his bare foot directly into his throat.

"Neck!" He grunted. He performed a quick spin that pushed his foot into Kuroobi's ribs. "Ribs! Back!" He flung the fishman down.

"You bastard!" Kuroobi cursed him, he hadn't expected the human to be able to put up much of a fight after his performance under the water. To still be so capable of strong attacks, could this really be_ just_ a human?

"For dessert, Face Shot!" Char whooped as a fishman shaped hole was left in the wall as Sanji sent his opponent flying straight through the building. She had never seen someone so strong before!

_I have the best. Crew. Ever!_ She jumped up and down a couple times just to show how excited she was. No way her daddy would believe _this!_

"Oi Sanji, what about Luffy?" Zoro asked, breaking through her small celebration.

"Yeah, is he okay?" She added.

"He's fine…" He seemed to pause. "Well, half-fine anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The swordsman stared. He was right to do so. She couldn't think of any circumstances where being half-okay was okay.

"They got his head above the water but the rock's still stuck." He explained himself. "I just have to get back in the water and break that stone." Simple, easy, it should've ensured that they won the fight and saved the day.

"You're not going anywhere." If later asked what happened, all Char could attest to was that she had never been hit with such pin pointed force before. One minute she's all grins, the game's almost done and then she could write a new letter to her dad and they could all have some food because she was _starving!_

And the next, she's being thrown onto the ground with a metallic taste in her mouth.

Char coughed and moaned, trying to regain enough control of her limbs to prop her head up. She spat out a glob of blood and winced. Arlong had just dipped his hand into the water and turned his cold eyes on them, water wasn't supposed to hit her like a ton of hammers.

She could hear the whispers from the villagers. They didn't know what had just happened either. Zoro looked like he was down and out, his bandages looked like they were almost stained all the way through. Sanji was climbing to his feet though, he might need help, she had to _move._

She could force herself onto her knees, but it hurt so badly. Being cut by the butler hadn't hurt like this, being _branded_ hadn't hurt like this. How could water cause so much pain?

_If I numb it now, in three hours the pain will be doubled. I'll pass out._ So her options were to fight with this pain or numb it now and suffer for it later. She didn't like either option.

"You humans are so pathetic I don't even have to _touch_ you to kill you." Arlong boasted.

"Shut up!" Sanji cried, trying to force his body through another attack. Arlong dodged the kick and threw a small handful of water.

"Sanji!" She cried. She tried to stand but her legs felt like jelly. She managed to put herself between Arlong and her friends though.

"Stay away from them!" She ordered the fishman. She was hurt, her energy was low, and she kind of doubted illusions would stop a monster like him.

"Ha, little girl you'd better learn your place at my feet. These pathetic mongrels are going to learn what happens when you defy me!" He laughed. He was distracted from tossing her out of the way by a sudden outcry among the villagers.

"Ah, Nami so nice of you to join us." His grin was all teeth. "What brings you here?"

"I'm here to kill you." She declared.

"Hehe, Nami," He smirked. "For eight years you've tried to kill me, with assassination, poison, sneak attacks, but it was all for nothing."

"No human could ever kill me! And you're going to be our navigator and surveyor for the rest of your pathetic human life!" She shivered at his words. "No matter what else happens today, these pirates are going to die. They've annoyed me too much."

"But if you want to save the lives of those villagers, then you'll have to surrender and work for me of your own free will." He turned his cold gaze on the child who stood in front of him.

"As for you, Char." He gripped her neck, lifting her up from the ground. Char coughed and kicked, trying to break free. His fishman fingers squeezed the air away, until she might as well be having a fit.

_I don't want to die yet._ She grasped at that thought. _I'm only ten, I've just started out as a pirate. I haven't played the game through to the end yet! I _never_ lose games! _There was no way she was going to be working for this guy ever. And Nami wasn't going to be forced to work for him either!

"You're going to use that unique power of yours to aid us in our conquest!" He dropped her, allowing her to fall onto the hard concrete and cough as she tried to regain the air he'd stolen.

Nami watched her fall from under the brim of a straw hat. She was afraid of the things Arlong could do to her and everyone she cared about. But if she wanted to stay friends with Luffy and the others, and if she wanted to stop Char from leading the same life she had…

"I'm sorry everyone, please fight with me!" The crowd cheered their approval.

"…I hope you know you're going to lose." Char smirked, tilting her head up at the fishman. His eyes narrowed down at her and she braced herself.

…_Wow, did Luffy try to drink the whole ocean?_ The giant fountain that had erupted from just over the side of the gates had surprised everyone.

"Luffy's alive!" The crowd cheered. With the strongest fighter back their victory was assured.

"I see what you meant now." Zoro panted, struggling to his feet. "Thirty seconds, that's all I can give." He promised Sanji.

"I can make it forty." Char added, cracking her whip in the air.

"That'll be enough!" Sanji swore before diving into the water again. All he had to do was remove the leg weight, and they could leave the rest to Luffy.

"Arlong, you're not going anywhere near them." Zoro had to lash forward, gifting the fishman with a small cut on his cheek in his haste to put himself between Arlong and the ocean. The fight was over if he got in the water.

"I seem to recall you saying something similar earlier." Arlong growled. In all his years of living in East Blue he had never witnessed such an uprising before.

"Egg star!" Char blinked as a bit of yolk landed on her cheek. She gaped at the mess in Arlong's hand, a pretty good entrance from their sharp shooter, if she did say so herself.

"Ussop, good shot!" She complimented him, waving at where he had stationed himself at the hole made when Sanji had been punched through the wall earlier.

"Arlong, your days are numbered now! You have less than zero chance for victory now!" There was a number less than zero?

"Hey Nami, I took down one of their officers myself! Me!" He informed their crewmate with unbridled glee. He'd never taken someone down on his own before, and for it to be a fishman! "It was so easy!"

"_Easy!?_" Arlong snarled. Char jumped, berating herself for taking her eyes off the enemy. Germaine always said that it would be the death of her if she couldn't focus. She couldn't afford to be distracted, not by pain and not by Ussop's amazing entrance. Even if the entrance _was_ really cool!

_Again, best. Crew. Ever!_ She thought with glee.

"Face my wratch Arlong, rubber band of dooooo~ooom." It flopped off his finger. Char pouted, disappointed that Ussop's attack hadn't worked, at least it was buying them time, even though the crowd wasn't happy.

"Now!" Zoro swept forward, intent on removing the jagged nose attached to Arlong's face.

"That," The fishman mused, not even flinching under the blow. "Was a mistake."

"Hey, what's up with that octopus guy?" She followed the crowd's gaze towards Hatchan, who although he had risen from the ashes of defeat was now flinching with his arms guarding his face.

"I thought the rubber band was going to hit me!" He explained himself.

"Ha~heh, he saw what I was aiming for!" Ussop blustered.

"Wow," Char hummed thoughtfully. "Ussop's tricky."

"I'm going to get my revenge on you Zoro, and I'll do that by killing your friend in the water!" Hatchan boasted.

"Like _Hell!_" Char roared, flinging her ropes around three of his arms. She was too small to stop him though, and allowed herself to be pulled into the water as well. Zoro would have to hold off Arlong on his own.

_Ah! Cold, cold, cold, cold!_ She shivered and mourned her once dry state. She couldn't afford to be a baby about being cold though, or the fact that all her stuff was likely getting wet since she'd left the trick bag open. She needed to pull herself up the rope and get to Hatchan and _stop him_ from hurting Sanji or Luffy!

_Not _my_ friends, you baka._ She swore. Hatchan barely noticed the added weight, and barely flinched when she grabbed his shirt and drove her fist into the middle of his back.

"Gah!" Bubbles erupted from her mouth as he suddenly seized up, nearly knocking her off. She mentally growled and thrust her shoe directly to the back of his left thigh. He twisted, trying to grab her with his six arms.

_The game's not over yet!_ She continued raining blows on sensitive parts of his anatomy. Dim Mak wasn't made for under water use, or for fishman skin, but it did the distraction job perfectly.

She used him as a stepping board once blood began pouring from his wounds and he went slack. Nojiko and Sanji were over by Luffy, who had been freed from the rock and had begun rising to the surface. She couldn't stop the grin or the several bubbles that came out with it. There was only one last round left and it was Luffy Pirates four with fishmen zip with no way to tie!

"If Luffy loses we're all going to die." Sanji sighed after failing to light his cigarette with a damp match. Char pulled herself out of the water after him, wringing out her hair and shivering.

"If Arlong wins all of East Blue will die." Nojiko pointed out.

"Hey, where'd Zoro go?" Char asked. All she could see was Luffy and Arlong fighting.

"Feh, I'm sure that sword-bastard will be just fine." Sanji scoffed, as though visions of a bloody green haired friend _weren't_ running through his head, curse her imagination. "I'd almost swear he wasn't human anyway." He added quietly.

"Zoro's a human." Char decided to inform him. "He's got human skin, and no webbing or gills, and he's not a giant cause he's not super tall."

"That wasn't what I mean Char-chan." He sighed. They both turned their attention back to the fight, eager to see who the victor would be.

"I'm kinda pathetic without my friends to help me!" Luffy was telling Arlong.

"I can't fight with swords. I can't make magic tricks. I can't navigate." He started listing them. With each assignment the corresponding crewmember stood a little straighter, as though solid steel had been poured down their spines. "I can't even lie!"

"Ha, your crew must truly hate your guts. I can't understand why they'd go to so much trouble to save someone as worthless as you!" Arlong laughed. "Tell me, is there _anything_ you _can_ do?" _"Geez Char, can't you do even one thing right?"_

"Tell me, among your crew, who are you?" He sneered.

"I'm the guy's who's going to kick your ass." Luffy informed him. Char smirked and knew the fight was already over. Arlong just didn't know it yet.


	18. New Regimes Can Topple the Ruling Class

The very first female pirate was one Vera, known by the epithet as "The Red Lady" for her cherry lipstick and the blood left in her wake. Vera escaped the marines to a small island in the East Blue, where she settled down and had three daughters. Each daughter in turn became pirates.

Marie, the eldest, became "Miss Fortune" and spread chaos and discord across the seas. Liza, the middle child, was known as "The Nimble Thief" for her distracting acrobatics. Finally, there was the youngest of the three sisters, Anna. She was arguably the most famous and her name has been held on record in the Marine HQ as one of the few epithets to never be given to any pirate again. She was known as "Hell's Illusionist."

Anna evaded the marines through her illusions, and in turn settled down to start a family. She told her children of her adventures, and though her two sons became respectable men who hid their mother's identity, her daughters took up the Jolly Roger as well.

This trend continued through the ascension of such infamous crews as the Rumbar pirates and the actions of the rookie Gol D. Roger. In time, it led down to "The Florist" Flora, who in turn had six daughters. Our story follows the journey of the youngest, one Char, who would continue the family tradition in playing the Ultimate Game.

Chapter 18: New Regimes Can Topple the Ruling Class.

Char was rather impressed when Luffy got the idea to steal Arlong's teeth. She hoped there'd be at least one intact pair after the fight was over. It'd be a really cool trophy! They looked like they'd be good for cutting things too!

"That idiot." Sanji despaired at Luffy's grandmaster plan. She giggled and shook her head. Sanji was just too much of a grown up to understand. Grown ups just weren't impressed by the important stuff.

Arlong was forced to abandon that method of attack after Luffy bit him. The entire fight he'd been spouting one big fib, over and over again. Fishmen weren't any better or worse than humans, they were just people. It didn't make sense to her how someone could view some people as being worth more or less than someone else.

_Like the Bubble-Heads._ She reasoned. _They just keep going on about how they're better than everyone else. It just doesn't make sense to me._ The only thing that should really matter was how many friends you had. Numbers pretty much overcame everything sooner or later.

"Luffy, he's going in the water!" She shouted a warning to her captain. Everyone else was shouting the same thing.

_Wow, he really does look like a shark!_ His shadow started fading as he went deeper into the water. Char bit her lip in worry, though there was no one left who could be hurt down there, helpless.

"Is he running away?" Luffy wondered, scratching his head and leaning over the edge.

"Shaaark Dive!" Char blinked, missing the moment that Arlong rocketed out of the water and straight through the wall into the second story of his own building.

"I'm impressed you managed to dodge that." He congratulated the frail human below. "But the longer you post pone the inevitable, the more painful it will be. Shark dive!"

Char gave up trying to follow him with her eyes. Arlong was moving too fast. Luffy managed to dodge most of them but his clothes kept getting torn up. There was a splash as Arlong jumped back into the water. She growled and stomped her foot. If he'd just stand and _fight_ then Luffy could beat them and they could all just relax! This was taking much longer than she felt it really had a right to.

"Hide Luffy! He's going to launch himself at you again!" Johnny and Yosaku screamed.

"I'm not hiding." Luffy growled.

"Stop being an idiot! You're making a target out of yourself!" Sanji cursed. Char clenched her fists, focusing on the pain of her nails digging into the palm of her hands. What would be accomplished by Luffy hiding? He needed to beat Arlong, that's all there was to it.

"Gomu gomu no…SHIELD!" Char covered her eyes, she didn't want to see Luffy get hurt. _Please, be okay!_

"He's alright!" She gasped at the cry and looked back towards the fight, peeking through her fingers. When she understood was she saw Char had to laugh. He'd blocked the attack.

"Gomu gomu Finger Net!" He used this move to put himself above Arlong. "Gomu gomu no SPEAR!" Char cheered with everyone else as his feet came down, stamping the fishman tyrant into the concrete.

"You stupid HUMAAAAAN!" Arlong snapped. He grabbed Luffy by his hair and began twirling him over his head, stretching out Luffy's body. "AAARRRGH!" He threw the damned human into Arlong Park, crushing the very last of the rubble into gravel.

"Arlong's snapped." Sanji muttered. She looked up at their cook in confusion. "I've seen Sea Kings that snapped, and they always had eyes just like that." Eyes?

She looked back at Arlong, who was pursuing his attacks now. His eyes really had changed from a moment ago. She shivered and gripped her shoulder, feeling the still prevalent ache of the brand on her arm. It was just like looking at his Wanted poster on the way to Cocoyashi.

He looked pretty scary.

"AAAARRRRRGGGHHHH!" Arlong thrust his arm through the wall, fast enough that Luffy only barely avoided his deadly grip.

The sword Arlong drew out, Char knew, would likely give her nightmares. Longer than he was tall, Arlong wielded it as she might wield a dagger, a sturdy blade that could be whipped around with almost no effort. The amount of damage possible between the two weapons had a gap as wide as the Grand Line between them though.

Luffy began to scale the building to avoid the increasingly wild swings of the fishman. The last dodge involved shattering a window and diving inside.

Char watched Arlong climb after her captain and clenched her fists tight in front of her chest. Luffy had to be alright, and he had to win. Nami was their friend, and she was hurting so bad because of the things Arlong did. He didn't _deserve_ to win! Only the good guys could win!

The desk was a surprise. As was the other furniture and papers that came crashing out of the room the fight was going on in. She blinked and wondered just how fierce the fight had to be if they kept tossing out junk that got in the way. She wished she was able to see what was going on.

"Is that Luffy's foot?" She wondered aloud as she looked up past the ceiling of the building, where indeed one rubbery sandaled foot had crashed through the roof. It came flying down and with an almighty _crunch_ the building started to collapse.

"Shit, Luffy's still inside!" Sanji cursed. He couldn't do anything about it though. He was forced to grab Char and dive into the water to avoid the flying debris. He made sure to cover her much smaller body in case anything landed in the water, after they ran out of air they resurfaced, him still holding their youngest crewmember.

"So, who won?" Char asked him, not taking her eyes of the ruins that had once been known as Arlong Park.

"NAAAAMMMIIIIIIIIIIII!" They clambered onto solid ground as Luffy began his announcement. "You'll always be my nakama!"

"He won." The whispers started ringing out. Char grinned, knowing that in a few seconds the whispers would become statements, and the statements would grow into cheers.

"He _won_!" The game was finally over, and it was five to zero in the favor of Luffy's crew. Char felt her aches all shrink, until she could barely remember she'd been hurt at all. They had won. They had won. It never lost its flavor no matter how many times she repeated it to herself. Even greater than the victory against Kuro was the victory, the flawless victory, against the Arlong pirates.

Somewhere in the confusion of the marine man she managed to tell Nami she'd hidden all of her money, and she found herself scolding Luffy for poking Zoro's wounds and almost breathless wondering what new adventures were waiting for them. She even found a pair of Arlong's teeth, unscathed by falling rocks, and managed to hide them in her trick bag without anyone seeing.

"Come on everybody, we're going to party till we can't stand up!" She laughed and began racing with her friends to get back to the village. She did of course, find the doctor first. Zoro was still dripping blood everywhere.

"Doctor-san, wait up!" She pounced once he turned around to see who was calling him. She landed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "My friends need medicine, especially Zoro!"

"Zoro? That's the swordsman ri-gah!" He had caught sight of the limping man. Zoro gave the doctor a look that said quite clearly what he thought of the doctor's opinions.

"Zoro, this guy's a doctor! He can fix you up, just like the doctor back on Syrup island fixed me!" Char informed him. She took his larger hand and then directed to Johnny and Yosaku to help her carry him, despite all protests to the contrary.

"I'll be fine." It was only a token protest now, as Char had threatened his once comrades with going blind if they didn't carry him back to the village. He shot a nasty look at the innocently smiling child, sitting atop the cook's shoulders.

The cook, who was still stifling giggles at _his_ expense. What he wouldn't give for five minutes alone with that little upstart. His only consolation was that Char had outright insisted _everyone_ see the doctor, including the pervert cook.

The doctor had some people take care of the superficial injuries, going after Zoro himself to properly sew his wound shut. Char kind of wished they could've been in a separate room though. She kept flinching every time Zoro cried out in pain from the needle and thread. There hadn't been this much screaming when Johnny and Yosaku fixed him the first time!

"Here Char-chan, this salve should make sure that nasty scar doesn't stand out too badly. Make sure to rub some on it at least once a day for two weeks." Nojiko instructed her, giving her a nicely sized jar of the cream. Nojiko gave a significant look to Sanji to be sure that he had also listened to the instructions.

"Nojiko-san, you're very pretty when you're being a nurse!" Sanji complimented her. Nojiko chuckled despite herself and rolled her eyes.

"Alright you three, get on out of here." She pushed Sanji, Char, and Ussop out the door. "There's a party and you guys are the guests of honor!"

"Yay! I'm sooo hungry!" Char cheered, running towards some of the tables that had been set up. Food was already being set down, and their captain had already started working his way through it. Sanji saved the abandoned jar from being lost, keeping his eye on the little girl as she claimed a plate and started shoveling food onto it. She seemed to have either a good idea of what was healthy for her or she was already extremely fond of eating well.

He decided he wouldn't say anything about her eating three pieces of fudge after Ussop began regaling him about how exhausted she'd been after their fight with Kuro, right before he joined up.

Char eventually finished eating, and found her way back to the tangerine grove where she had hidden the money. Sustained illusions were hard, in a good way. They felt like she'd been playing all day and had just finished eating dinner, stretched out. The only one she could do used her cloak though, and she usually preferred to keep _that_ in easy reach.

"This money's covered in blood." Nami must've gotten hurt a lot, it was a good thing there was a good doctor here.

After a silent moment of reflection she swept the cloak over her body, vanishing with the next breeze.

The inside of Nojiko and Nami's house was clean. There was a picture of their mom, she looked really cool with hair like that. Char moved past the picture though and found a piece of paper, along with a pen to write with. This was a letter that she felt was long over due.

It was hard to keep it in perspective, really. She had only mailed that last letter less than a week ago. So much had happened since then, the ship, Sanji, Mihawk, and now the fishmen. For a minute she sat at the table, not really sure how to start it all.

_Dear Daddy,_

_You're never going to believe what happened, but I'm not even lying! After the fight with Kuro Kaya gave us a ship, the Going Merry! It's a car-a-val!_

_After that, we met some of Zoro's old friends. They're bounty hunters, Johnny and Yosaku. I didn't really like them at first. _

_After _that,_ we went to the Floating Restaurant, _Beratie!_ That's where we met Sanji, and he's joined our crew to be our chef! He's kind of weird around grown up girls like Nami, but he gives me ice cream! After we met him this guy called Don Krieg showed up, and Luffy had to kick his butt so he wouldn't have to work at the restaurant for breaking the roof anymore. _

_Can you believe _Hawk-Eye_ Mihawk followed Krieg from the Grand Line just because he was bored? Because he did! Zoro challenged him to a duel because his dream is to be the Greatest Swordsman in the World, just like Mihawk._

_Mihawk won though, and Zoro got really hurt._

There was more to it than that. She was almost certain of it. Char sighed and laid her head on the table though, unable or unwilling to go any further. She bit her lip and fastened the disobedient paper with a dark glare. How dare it tell her that their adventures didn't sound as amazing on paper? How dare it turn all their fear, and happiness, and everything amazing, into just words. That wasn't supposed to happen.

_Zoro got hurt bad enough that he's screaming now, because he opened the wound again and needs to have it sewn shut again. He shouldn't have been fighting with that wound, he had an infection and everything! The doctor told me so!_

_Nami ran away, and Luffy told us to go after her and bring her back, so we did. Zoro and I got captured by the people who had hurt Nami, the Arlong Pirates. Nami had to work for them, draw them maps, because if she didn't they would kill her friends in her village, and her sister. Zoro and I didn't know that at first._

_Arlong decided he wanted to _shang-hai_ me into his crew. He branded his Jolly Roger on me, my left shoulder. It still hurts, I almost can't believe it happened just this morning._

_Zoro and I escaped, Luffy found us again, and we all fought the fishmen together. We won. _Luffy_ won._

_I know there should be more than that, but for some reason I can't think of what else to say. There's a party going on outside, everyone's going to heal up okay, and Nami's not hurting anymore. We even made some marine guy mad enough that Luffy might even get a bounty. Wouldn't that be something?_

_I love you Daddy. I really, really, really do. _

_Signed, your baby girl forever and always,  
Char._

_P.S. I had another attack._

She should erase that last part, or scratch it out. If she told him that he'd be worried. She didn't want her dad to worry about her too much, he probably had his hands full with explaining to the villagers where she had disappeared to, since she wasn't old enough to leave home yet.

She mailed it anyway and rejoined the party. Between the dancing and the laughter she soon forgot any burdens on her mind.

On the third day of the party, Nami drew her back to the doctor's house. First she watched the doctor remove Nami's tattoo, then he turned to her.

Nami had let herself go first to show Char that there wasn't anything scary about having it removed. Brands were different from tattoos, but both could be covered up. She had him add her new tattoo on over the scar, and then let him turn and inspect Char's own arm.

"Can _I_ get a new one too?" She asked after expressing her admiration of the new tattoo.

"Like what?" Nami asked, ignoring the doctor's grumbles over how children shouldn't have tattoos.

"A Jolly Roger, with a straw hat!" And not even he could argue there. He put some numbing cream on her arm and got to work. While Char was getting her work done Nami took the opportunity to get back home and start making her plans for leaving in the morning.

Char had to be carried to the ship in the early morning hours, too tired to wake up. None of the villagers begrudged the small child, although many held the mistaken beliefs that she was the younger sister of the captain himself. They more than likely continued with this belief, for when Luffy accepted the child and laid her carefully down near the newly added trees he did not deign to correct them.

So Char slept through most of the stocking up, not that she was complaining. Her arm stung and she was grumpy about not having breakfast with everyone.

"What do you mean she's not coming! Without Nami I lose 78 percent of the reason I joined in the first place!" Sanji whined. Char whipped her head up, taking a moment to figure out that she wasn't in the doctor's house anymore, but rather on the ship that now had trees on it.

"Set sail!" Char was the first to notice the distant carrot top figure. Luffy didn't so much as blink, merely confirmed the order and set everyone to working. Char grinned and untied the sails to catch the wind while Zoro pulled up the anchor and Ussop began maneuvering them away from shore.

"Should we really let her leave like this?" Sanji questioned.

"Not my decision." Luffy shrugged. "She'll do what she wants."

_I lost track._ Char gave up trying to watch Nami's progress through the crowd of villagers trying to stop and thank her. It was rather amazing that she could move so fast and without much attention. Not even her hair, which Char would have thought would make Nami stand out, gave away her position.

"Good bye everybody!" The numerous wallets and purses that fell from her shirt served as a reminder to Char.

"I need to ask if she'll teach me that!"


End file.
